Would first responders know how to find an injured worker in the back fields of your farm if explained over the phone? Would the fire department be able to quickly locate your water sources and chemical storage areas? Advance communication of this information with local first responders could save precious time and be the difference between minor damage, and total building or equipment loss. It could also be the difference between life and death of workers, loved ones, or yourself.

To help with this process, U.S. Ag and and First Responder Groups just released a video series on developing Emergency Action Plans. To create your own plan to share with local emergency management services, the University of Michigan Cooperative Extension has created this easily fillable Emergency Farm Planning Template.

With warmer weather on its way, Lyme Disease Awareness Month is here again! Health care providers reported 1,118 cases of Lyme disease in 2020 (as of March 17, 2021). While this is lower

than the record number of cases reported in 2019, tickborne disease remains a serious threat in Maine.

The 2021 Lyme Disease Awareness Month theme this May is “Stop. Check. Prevent.” This reminds us to stop and practice tick prevention measures frequently. The easiest way to avoid tickborne diseases is preventing tick bites. Please remember to:

1) Use caution in areas where ticks may be found.

2) Wear light-colored clothing that covers arms and legs.

3) Use an EPA approved repellent such as: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon

eucalyptus.

4) Perform tick checks on yourself, family members, and pets daily and after any outdoor

activity. Take a shower after exposure to a tick habitat to wash off any crawling ticks.

Fore more information, visit https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/vector-borne/lyme/month/index.shtml

“Real Maine” is a program of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. It connects people with Maine farmers and food producers. Create your free profile here: Become a member here.

Agricultural producers and forest landowners wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to apply for a 2021 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Classic contract. Through CSP, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private landowners maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities. Approved activities supported include enhancing cover croping, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agricultural or forest production on their land.

Applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program Classic are due by April 23, 2021.

Producers interested in a CSP Classic contract are recommended to contact their local USDA service center.

Visit farmers.gov/cfap for details on all eligible commodities, producer eligibility, payment limitations and structure and additional program resources.

If landowners want to make their property available for use by a farmer, then with this new website, they are able to set-up their own property listing with the support of Land For Good. Likewise, farm seekers are invited to create a profile where they can detail the type of farmland they are seeking. We expect our Farmland Inventory to serve as a model that could be used by other farming communities across the state. Check out our Farmland Inventory web page for more details!

Small Bites are are written by coaches from UMaine Extension’s Farm Coaching team. Farm Coaches are available at no cost to work remotely with farmers and farm teams.

How do you want to incorporate kids on the farm? There is no one right way, and if you’d like to talk about it with others, the farm coaches are available to discuss roles on the farm, incorporating family members, and shared work in general. 

Read the full article, and learn more about farm coaching here.

Wolfe's Neck Center is working to create a course for “management-ready” farm employees and wants to hear from farmers in the state of Maine about the demand, availability, cost and value of skilled labor and experienced personnel for a farm business. Take the survey here.

Registration required. A $5 donation for the Maine Beef Producers Association Scholarship Fund is optional. Donate here.

The Maine Cattlemen’s College will provide up-to-date information to Maine beef cattle producers and allow Maine beef cattle producers an opportunity to meet leaders in the industry and fellow producers to share ideas and innovations. All proceeds to benefit the Maine Beef Producers Association Scholarship Fund.

Join us for the 4th Maine Cattlemen’s College online. This year, we have invited speakers from Maine and beyond to present on important topics related to the beef cattle industry.

In addition to the invited speakers, we will be hosting an online youth beef judging class. Youth Clubs and Individual youth members are encouraged to register and participate in an online judging event where youth will place a class of market steers and give reasons why they ranked the animals the way they did. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top participants in both the Youth Club and Youth Individual classes. Adults may participate for bragging rights only.

Pineland Natural Meat has generously agreed to match the cash prize awarded by the Maine Beef Producers Association.

This year, Pine Ridge Acres in Cumberland, Maine, has donated a Simmental/Angus Cross grass-fed calf to auction off for the Maine Beef Producers Scholarship Fund. Details are on the Maine Beef Producers Association website.

The Maine Beef Producers Association will also be hosting a silent auction to benefit the MBPA Youth Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit Youth Scholarship Fundraiser on their website.

For more information on the Cattlemen's College, contact Melissa Babcock at melissa.libby1@maine.edu or 207.581.2788.