Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined USDA Under Secretary for Food and Nutrition Services Kevin Concannon today for atour of the Huhtamaki Plant in Waterville, which has recently received an order to produce compostable lunch plates for an alliance of schools that serve nearly 3 million students a day.

“It was very exciting to see the plant—which has produced paper plates for over a hundred years—transformed to make these innovative compostable plates. The contract the company was awarded by six of the nation’s largest school districts to help them replace Styrofoam plates is an incredible opportunity for the area,” said Pingree.  “It’s fantastic news for the plant’s 550 Maine workers, and it’s a testament to the move toward serving more sustainable food in our schools. These plates will not only serve healthy food to our students, but help grow the local economy too.”

Opened in 1903, the Waterville plant historically manufactured molded fiber “Chinet” plates.  Now operated by Finnish company Huhtamaki, the plant is producing plates that are compostable and made from recycled materials. Round with dividers and a space in the center to hold a milk carton, the design is meant to reflect plates students typically see at home.

This spring, the Waterville factory won a bid to produce plates for the Urban School Food Alliance. Made up of six of thelargest school districts in the country—New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, and Dallas—the alliance has pooled their collective purchasing power to make significant changes to school lunch. The schools serve 2.8 million students every school day (469 million meals a year) and procure more than $550 million in food and supplies annually. The coalition aims to use their joint purchasing power and influence to drive down nationwide costs, while setting higher standards for the quality of food served in schools.

Concannon oversees the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the National School Lunch Program, among many others.  He is a native of Portland.

“I was very pleased to join Under Secretary Concannon, a Mainer himself, for the tour.  He has shown an incredible commitment to ensuring students and families have access to quality food and has been a big supporter of the farm-to-school movement as well,” said Pingree.  “As Congress prepares to debate the Child Nutrition Reauthorization —which determines policy around school meals, WIC, and more—it was a great opportunity to get his perspective on what we should focus on and share the stories of Mainers who are trying to make sure their kids get the best meals they can.”

Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture—which oversees funding for the USDA—and has lead efforts in Congress to help schools serve healthy food from local family farms.