Maine is still a largely rural state. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, in 2009 about 1.35 million Maine acres were devoted to agriculture. 39% of farmland was devoted to crops, and 5% was pastureland, while 49% were classified as woodland.

The pine tree state is still truly a "family farm" state where 94% of the 8100 total farms in Maine are from 1 to 500 acres in size. Given this fact, many farmers today are seeking to diversify their incomes through community supported agriculture or agritourism. The average age of Maine farmers in 2007 was 56. However, many of today’s newest farmers are young people taking up farming for the first time, without any family background in farming. These youthful farmers are also far more likely to be interested in organic practices. As of 2008, Maine has 635 certified organic farms covering a total of 49,000 acres.

The state’s top five agricultural products as of 2008 were potatoes (4% of total US value), dairy products, chicken eggs, greenhouse/nursery products, and aquaculture. The top producing agricultural counties in 2008 were Aroostook, Adroscoggin, Washington, Kennebec, and Somerset.

The Maine Department of Agriculture (DOA) has interested staff that are available to provide you with information and technical assistance for your farm be it issues regarding irrigation, cranberry production, new crop development, labor, business planning, and market development and promotion. If their staff cannot help you, they will try to find somebody that can. DOA provides information on their website on:

• Grants and Loans; The DOA offers some Grants and Loans for Agriculture when funds are available. Check the DOA site for more info on availability.
• Agricultural Water Use in Maine; Learn about water management planning, new water sources, and other resources for your irrigation options.
• Farmland Protection The DOA is there to help you with your land preservation goals with the Maine Farmland Protection Program.
• Food and Farm Products MarketingThe DOA provides searchable listings of producers to find apples, berries, specialty foods, farm products, farmers markets, farm stands, community supported agriculture farms, recipes, and related marketing information links.
• County Based Agriculture Fact Sheets they are old (2003) but may still provide some relevant information on all items related to county agricultural enterprises. Select a county Androscoggin County Aroostook County Cumberland County Franklin County Hancock County Kennebec County Knox County Lincoln County Oxford County Penobscot County Piscataquis County Sagadahoc County Somerset County Waldo County Washington County York County

There is a Soil & Water Conservation District in every county in Maine. The Conservation District staff are there to help you with your on-farm conservation activities and applying for federal funding and technical assistance programs primarily through the USDA NRCS.
Learn more about and find local Conservation Districts

The Maine State University Extension Service provides research-based information, educational programs, and technology transfer focused on issues and needs of the people of Maine, enabling them to make informed decisions about their economic, social, and cultural well-being.
Learn more about and find your local Cooperative Extension

By: Stephen Vogel
Farm households that also operate nonfarm businesses have accounted for roughly 18% of US farm households since the 1990s. In 2007, farmer-owned nonfarm business employed over 800,000 nonfarm workers and contributed an estimated $55 billion to their local communities' gross county product.  Read More »


By: David Bennett
Farmers can avoid some tricky situations if they approach federal crop insurance properly. Read More »


By: K Gregg Elliott
Organic farming has been one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture for over a decade.  After the USDA implemented national organic standards in 2002, certified organic farmland doubled by 2005. Organic livestock sectors have grown even faster. Despite the rapid growth, organic farms have struggled at times to produce sufficient supply to keep up with the rapid growth in demand, leading to periodic shortages of organic products.  Read More »


By: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

The Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP), managed by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market value of the conservation easement.

This brief and simple guide will help you decide if an agricultural easement could help keep your farm or ranch in the family or save it from development. If you decide to sell or give an easement in exchange for federal grant funds, then this guide will help you fill out the necessary paperwork as well as provide you with contact information for further assistance.

Read More »


A 2008 Farm Bill provision allows for a 25% Deduction for Endangered Species Recovery Expenditures. Read More »


USDA provides tools online for estimating energy and potential savings from Read More »


Pest-control services provided by insect-eating bats in the United States likely save the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year, and yet insectivorous bats are among the most overlooked economically important, non-domesticated animals in North America, according to an analysis published in a  Science  magazine Policy Forum*. The U.S. Geological Survey collaborated in this research in partnership with Boston University, the University of Tennessee, and the University  of Pretoria, South Africa.  This article courtesy of Encyclopedia of Earth.   Read More »

The management of agricultural land affects almost everything. In addition to the land’s productivity in producing food for people and livestock, the quality of soil, water and wildlife habitat is often directly dependent upon the quality of agricultural management. That is why “best management practices” were invented.

Best Management Practices, or BMPs, can help agricultural land and bottom lines. Developed by experienced practitioners or management and research organizations, BMPs are based upon the best available science. By implementing BMPs, landowners will often save money in the long term even as they improve the condition of their land, soil, and water in the short term.

The following are a selection of BMPs culled from various national, regional, state and local sources. Each is available for download as a pdf.

Discusses grass, 3-zone, 2-zone, wildlife, urban and naturalized buffers and recommendations for how to choose, establish and cost-share. Read More »


Defines riparian buffers and discusses various benefits, including property value, wildlife habitat, timber, and recreational/aesthetic/spiritual values.
Read More »


This 26-page booklet introduces the Stream-A-Syst system to help landowners assess and manage their streams.  It contains a worksheet, action plan with recommended steps and sources of information to address various issues, and a visual (photographic) assessment guide. Read More »


This factsheet from the Univ. of Ark., Division of Agriculture delineates nutrient content, application procedures and guidelines for application and storage of poultry litter as a fertilizer and source of organic matter for row crops. Read More »


A practical guide to ways agricultural producers can profit from the growing environmental marketplace from American Farmland Trust, 2010. An in-depth 55-page handbook that introduces and surveys the types of environmental markets, how to get involved including evaluating financial returns and assessing risks, and what farmers and ranchers can do to encourage these markets.

Read More »


Another University of Arkansas gem that explains integrated odor management, which can include diet manipulation, capture and treatment of gas, and BMPs for spreading manure.

Read More »


This brief factsheet from the Univ. of Ark defines liquid manure, discusses storage and management options, as well as solids removal and equipment. Read More »


This 2011 document from EPA provides an extensive listing of service providers who can assist farm operations in turning waste into energy.  EPA’s AgSTAR Program produces this Industry Directory to assist livestock producers and others involved in developing anaerobic digestion systems to identify consultants, designers, developers, equipment vendors, and other providers of biogas energy services. Read More »


A 293 page guide to the Legal Issues in Farming the Wind on your farm from June 2007 Read More »


Improved performance at competitive costs is promised by this 2002 EPA publication all about anaerobic digestion and biogas recovery for energy. Read More »


When managed properly, irrigation of crops with effluent reduces a producer’s reliance on commercial ferti- lizers and helps protect surface and groundwater quality. To use effluent efficiently while avoiding over irrigating it on crop and pasture land, producers must know:
• The N, P and K needs of the crop,based on a realistic goal for yields.
•    The N, P and K in the soil available to the plants before irrigation.
The amounts of N, P and K in the effluent that will be irrigated.
This Texas Agrilife publication tells you how. Read More »


Application of dairy compost for stormwater management and on Dept of Transportation projects. Read More »


For horse enthusiasts, veterinarians and operators of boarding stables, handling and disposing of horse manure can pose numerous challenges. Frequently, operators of equine facilities and large-animal veterinary clinics must pay someone to take the manure off the property.  However, there is an excellent way to stimulate demand for a product that would otherwise be a liability. Composting manure can eliminate a messy problem and provide a modest additional income. Read More »


A publication that addresses issues arising when landowners answer “yes” to these questions:
Are you aware of manure sampling and testing procedures?
Do you store livestock waste for longer than 90 days on your property?
Do you store livestock waste for short periods (30 to 90 days) on your property?
Do you store livestock waste closer than 150 feet from any water wells?
Do you use lagoons or detention ponds to store livestock waste?
Are there any abandoned livestock waste storage facilities on your property? Read More »


Texas Agrilife discusses the efficiency, bacteria, management, pumping, salts and pH of lagoon management for poultry and livestock waste.
Read More »


Another publication from Texas Agrilife Extension, this publication covers control of odors and dust attained through siting of new facilities and practices for existing facilities. Read More »


Texas Agrilife covers the basics of construction, management, composting, litter and trouble shooting.

Read More »


This 1998 document from Florida Dept. of Agriculture provides educational, rather than regulatory, information on pesticide storage, mixing, application and spill management as well as practices for fertilizer, solvents and other chemicals associated with agricultural operations. Read More »


By: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Nutrient Management is defined as the management of the 4R's of Nutrient Management:Right amount (rate), Right source, Right placement (method of application), Right timing of commercial fertilizers, manure, soil amendments, and organic by-products to agricultural landscapes as a source of plant nutrients while protecting local air, soil and water quality.
 
The corner stone for Nutrient Management is the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 590 Nutrient Management Conservation Practice Standard. Contact John Davis via phone at 202-720-2308, or email j.russell.davis@wdc.usda.gov
 
In addition to the 590 Nutrient Management Standard, NRCS provides further guidance on the application of nutrient management via the National Nutrient Management Policy and National Instruction.
Read More »


Gives an overview of prevention techniques for live fish, shellfish, ornamental fish and invertebrates, aquatic plants, marine shrimp and freshwater prawns.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Covers major nutrient groups, micronutrients, digestion and metabolism, feed, and feeding practices.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Lists toxicities of many different chemicals and how to reduce the risk of pesticide drift.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Discusses pathogens and parasites, genetic alterations, and genetically modified organisms.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


A must-read for any responsible aquaculturist contemplating non-native species production.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Facilities design, requirements, and regulations.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Pros and cons and essentials for this system.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Strategies and cost estimates for various forms of frightening programs and exclusion ro barrier methods of control.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »


Summary of the most popular method for raising tilapia in the U.S.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/


Read More »


The basics on “the most important species of aquatic animal commercially cultured in the United States.”  Discusses blue, white, brown bullhead, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, and flathead catfish species.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/
Read More »


Advantages and disadvantages of one of the four primary methods of aquaculture: ponds, raceways, recirculating systems or cages.

A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/


Read More »


Discusses general considerations and various designs for such systems. Read More »


This Univ. of Arkansas fact sheet discusses the relationship between the poultry and cattle industry in Arkansas, namely their production and use, respectively, of phosphorus-rich poultry litter.  It concludes, “Inherent in the different grazing techniques is the potential to reduce compaction and improve vegetative surface cover (percent), which has a dramatic impact on runoff, erosion and P loss.”  Inclusion of vegetated buffers can have an even more dramatic impact. Read More »


This Univ. of Arkansas fact sheet discusses benefits and sampling principles for testing poultry litter because, “Applying poultry litter without knowing its nutrient content is similar to applying commercial fertilizer without knowledge of its nutrient content (e.g., % N/P/K).” Read More »


Explains the benefits of using alum for both poultry production and water quality. Read More »


Defines and discusses management of nutrients, pests, tillage, harvest, and edge/buffers to benefit waterbirds.  Also provides crop-specific BMPs for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and rice. Read More »


This brief article from University of Arkansas explains that “Worm composting or vermicomposting is a suitable composting option for apartment dwellers and homes with no yard space and is also a great classroom activity. The worms stay in the bin and eat household food scraps, and the bin has no odor if properly maintained.”  It includes building and maintenance instructions. Read More »



This fact sheet explains how to build bins from concrete blocks or wood, and how to add waste and maintain the compost. Read More »


How to make and use a garbage can composter. Read More »


Beyond simply covering poultry mortality with litter, includes water contamination concerns. Read More »


This factsheet differentiates composting from biodrying, with the former leading to good soil amendments and the latter leading to good material for bioenergy production.   It explains the basics of biodrying equipment and methods. Read More »


This factsheet explains the compost process, what can be composted, its benefits, and the major different methods of composting. Read More »


This fact sheet defines the difference between a vegetative shelterbelt and structural windbreak.  It concludes, “A well-designed and positioned vegetative shelter-belt on a poultry farm can be used as a practical air emission mitigation technology.” Read More »


By: Hembree Brandon
A “cocktail mix” of winter cover comprised of tillage radishes — which can send a tuber as much as 60 inches into the soil —cereal rye, and rape/canola help Mike Taylor and his son, Mikey, prevent erosion and wind damage on their 6,500-acre Long Lake Plantation near Helena, Ark.   Read More »


By: Bonnie Coblentz
REACH is a collaboration between Mississippi State University's Extension Service, MAFES, and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center. Through the program experts share their scientifiically researched best agricultural practices with producers and landowners. In return, as farmers develop and implement new steardship plans REACH collects data to show what works to further conservation management. 

Read More »

BMPs oriented more specifically toward energy efficiency, invasive & native species and wildlife habitat are also available on this site.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is generally the practice of focusing on the local production of high quality foods using ecological, organic or biodynamic farming methods. The core design includes developing a cohesive consumer group that is willing to fund a whole season's budget in order to get quality foods. By CSA theory, the more a farm embraces whole-farm, whole-budget support, the more it can focus on quality and reduce the risk of food waste or financial loss. Most CSAs have a transparent whole season budget for producing a specified wide array of products for a set number of weeks a year as well as a 'shared risk and reward' agreement, i.e. that the consumers eat what the farmers grow even with the vagaries of seasonal growing.

CSA is a relatively new model of food production, sales, and distribution aimed at both increasing the quality of food and the quality of care given the land, plants and animals - while substantially reducing potential food losses and financial risks for the producers. CSA's focus is usually on a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables, sometimes also flowers, fruits, herbs, milk or meat products. An advantage of the close consumer-producer relationship is increased freshness of the produce, because it does not have to be shipped long distances. The close proximity of the farm to the members also helps the environment by reducing pollution caused by transporting the produce.

Typically, CSA farms are small, independent, labor-intensive, family farms. By providing a guaranteed market through prepaid annual sales, consumers essentially help finance farming operations. Individuals, families or groups do not pay for x pounds of produce, but rather support the budget of the whole farm and receive weekly what is seasonally ripe. This allows farmers to not only focus on quality growing, it can also somewhat level the playing field in a food market that favors usually large-scale, industrialized agriculture over local food. The cost of a share is usually competitively priced when compared to the same amount of vegetables conventionally-grown, partly because the cost of distribution is lowered.

Find a CSA in your area »

The following news articles are provided by the Google News service and do not reflect the views or imply an endorsement by the Maine Conservation Center and its affiliates. We cannot guarantee the relevance of the content of this page or any links that may be followed from the articles herein.

GCC's sustainable food initiative plants seeds for growth The Recorder Thanks to the proliferation of farmers markets and other local-food movements, accentuated by the writings of Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser as well as Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture activities locally, “It's just ...

---

Toward Freedom

Weeding Corporate Power Out of Agricultural Policies: Communities Mobilize for ... Toward Freedom Congress implemented a nine-month extension, but several important programs were de-funded, including support for new farmers and farmers of color, conservation efforts, research into organic farming, and other progressive initiatives. Organizations of ... and more »

---

Washington County woman creates user-friendly computer program for farmers ... Bangor Daily News The event will mark the end of a grant that allowed her company to develop a unique software program, MAP On Line, to streamline required reporting for farmers, fishers and others in the agriculture sector. Corbett also is ... To implement aspects of ...

---

WI raw milk trial raises issues of freedom, free market and food safety Kansas Watchdog Eric DeFort, assistant attorney general at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, objected several times during the defense's opening statement on Hershberger's private food club arrangement, his response to the state Department of Trade, Agriculture and ... and more »

---

PenBayPilot.com

Welcome back to Belfast, snowbats! PenBayPilot.com Kenney has restaurants in Santa Monica, Calif., and Miami and early indications suggest The Gothic have no trouble picking up where The Lost Kitchen left off in terms of making Maine palatable for the ultra discerning. .... Offices of the nonprofit ... and more »

---

Salon

Big Soda SNAP-ing up billions off government programs Salon So state governments from South Carolina to Maine to Wisconsin are considering legislation that would prohibit the purchase of soft drinks or other junk foods with SNAP credits. Proposals for deploying food ... Meanwhile, the US Department of ... and more »

---

Dry farming draws interest of small growers in Central Valley Sacramento Bee "I think people are interested in the idea," said David Runsten, policy director of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Runsten recently promoted dry farming to a consortium ... However, such spacing means roots spread out farther, which ... and more »

---

Pulling their weight The Recorder Fisher, with his wife, Anna Maclay, have the generous assistance of the gargantuan animals as they run their 190-share Community Supported Agriculture farm on about 130 acres, of which seven are tilled for growing vegetables. And Fisher says their ...

---

Maine House votes against creating food sovereignty act Bangor Daily News “The threat of the FDA or the USDA coming in and taking over everything or shutting down all Maine food producers is a fear-based argument that simply doesn't hold water,” he said. Rep. James Dill, D-Old Town, House chairman of the Agriculture, ...

---

US Defense Department to furlough 650000 civilian workers World Socialist Web Site In Maine, the state government had already cut Head Start from $360,000 to $71,000 before Obama's sequester order took effect. Midcoast Maine Community Action, which administers Head Start, saw its budget plummet by $135,000 this year, forcing the ... and more »

By: Amos P.L. Eno
One of the biggest challenges these beginning farmers face in starting a successful operation is getting access to capital. Because these farmers typically start out small and with limited experience, it is hard for them to obtain financing from commercial lenders.
Fortunately, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers a Microloan program to better serve the unique financial operating needs of beginning, niche and the smallest of family farm operations. Read More »

Agritourism is a business on a working farm, or other agricultural enterprise that offers an educational and fun experience for visitors while generating supplemental income for the owner such as...U-pick gardens, farm arts & crafts, seasonal festivals, or just about any agricultural actitivty that brings income from agriculture.

This concept is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. This type of tourism is gathering strong support from small communities as rural people have realised the benefits of sustainable development brought about by similar forms of "green tourism". Visitors have the opportunity to work in the fields alongside real farmers and wade knee-deep in the sea with fishermen hauling in their nets.

Get Real Maine is the Maine Department of Agriculture's promotional website for farm and food products. It is designed to promote agritourism businesses and to bring the joy of agriculture to everyone! If you are looking for a farm to visit, fresh produce, or just curious about agriculture in Maine, you can find it through Get Real Maine.

Maine's beautiful countryside, with its agricultural heritage, is well known throughout New England. From the endless forests of the north, rolling hills of farmland in the south, and everything in between, Maine has something in agricultural tourism that will satisfy anyone's appetite for rural adventures!

This guide is designed to assist farmers and ranchers in taking the first step in identifying alternative enterprises and agritourism opportunities on their farm or ranch. It is designed to provide a basic understanding of how the interaction of soil, water, animals, plants, air, and human resources, and the conservation of them, provide opportunities for the development of alternative enterprises and agritourism. Changing to a new enterprise involves different production techniques, processing methods, and marketing activities.

This is an interactive web-based tool based on the NRCS publication Taking the First Step: Farm and Ranch Alternative Enterprise and Agritourism Resource Evaluation Guide dated January 2004 on the NRCS website here It is a database driven application that allows users to collect and store the information for each farmer's and rancher's assessment of their natural, family, and community resources.

Try out the Agritourism Resource Evaluation Guide now!

Discusses clientele, permitting, advertising, location, design and security, water source, concessions, time of operations, signs, and safety and liability.
A list of all Southern Regional Aquaculture Center factsheets (more than 150) are available at https://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm/event/viewAllSheets/ Read More »