Maine Farm News
Maine Farm News
August 21, 2021
In This Edition
ARTICLES
  • New Online Tool for Assessing the Likelihood of COVID-19 Spread in Farmworker Housing
  • Changes to Maine Pesticide Laws
  • Report Your Dry Wells
OTHER INFO
  • Upcoming Events
  • Resources
  • Payments Grants and Loans
  • Information for Livestock Keepers
  • Surveys
Maine Farm News
New Online Tool for Assessing the Likelihood of COVID-19 Spread in Farmworker Housing
This online tool shows how coronavirus can spread through farmworker housing. The spread of the virus can vary based on a range of housing factors - the number of people sharing a room, the size of the room, type of beds (single or bunk beds) and how much people are washing hands, social distancing and wearing face coverings. You can use this simulation tool to see how simple changes in shared housing and farmworker behaviors can affect the spread of infection.
Pesticide brand obscured
Changes to Maine Pesticide Laws
A number of pesticide bills heard during the last session of the Maine Legislature will soon become laws and may affect you:




If you are interested in sharing your thoughts on any of these topics with the Board of Pesticides Control, you might consider attending the August 27 stakeholder information gathering meetings where these bills will be discussed.
Report Your Dry Wells
Despite a rainier summer, much of the state is still in a drought, ranging from abnormally dry to severe drought. The Maine Drought Task Force wants you to report if your well runs dry.
Meetings - Webinars - Upcoming Events
Sessions preceded by * are eligible for Pesticide Re-certification Credits.
Resources
coronavirus image from CDC
Payments, Grants & Loans
USDA Funding Announcements
Information for Animal Keepers
Calling Pig Farmers
Calling Pig Farmers:
  1. Do you farm with pigs as a commercial endeavor?
  2. Do you have breeding stock?
  3. Are you interested in finding out what diseases your pigs are carrying in a confidential manner?
  4. Do you want input on tightening up your animal health safety and biosecurity practices?
  5. Do you want this for no charge in exchange for some of your time and allowing the testing of your pigs?
 
Please contact Dr. Carolyn Hurwitz, Assistant State Veterinarian to get more details. Carolyn.hurwitz@maine.gov or 207-592-6698. She is looking to add more farms and pigs to sample for a Northeast SARE grant called Biosecurity Preparedness, Infectious Disease Prevention, and Farmer Training on Northern New England Swine Farms
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Information
  • RHDV2 is a contagious, deadly virus of domestic and wild rabbits
  • It does not cause disease in humans
  • This virus is the cause of an ongoing outbreak of disease in domestic and wild rabbits in the Southwestern United States, with isolated cases reported in FL, GA and NY
  • RHDV2 is passed in body fluids of sick rabbits. Contacting these fluids directly or through a contaminated environment spreads the virus
  • Signs of RHDV2 infection are fever, lethargy, bleeding and death
Download this factsheet (pdf) for information from MDACF.
Surveys
Maine Wholesale Supply Survey
Maine's Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources is seeking information about food producers with wholesale capacity within Maine's local food network.
Our goal is to gather information to help mitigate short-term supply chain issues across the state by providing food service providers, food distributors, and other Maine based businesses a snapshot of what opportunities are available for the bulk purchase of Maine-grown food.
See the collected data in real time on this temporary website.
Send any follow up questions to Alexander.Williams@Maine.gov.
Health Survey for Maine Women in Agriculture
Maine women involved in production agriculture to complete this short survey. It is designed to identify topics of interest and gaps in educational resources related to women's physical, mental and cognitive health.Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey.
Greenhouse Biostimulants Survey
To better help vegetable and ornamental growers with the use of crop biostimulants, Muhammad Shahid, scientist at the New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Station and State Specialist Greenhouse and Nursery, has started a research project for the effective and efficient use of various types of biostimulants. Please help us out by filling out this short survey on the use of biostimulants in vegetable and ornamental/nursery production:
New England Veg Management Guide: Input Needed
Let the authors of the New England Vegetable Management Guide know what you'd like to see from the next edition.
Hemp Grower Survey
A group of hemp university research and extension faculty are working on a series of hemp surveys in efforts to determine the types and distributions of major diseases and insects across the US and Canada. 
Tell USDA How to Improve Meat & Poultry Processing
FACT (Farm Animal Concern Trust) announced that USDA is seeking public comments on where and how they can best spend the $500 million in federal COVID relief funds dedicated to addressing the ongoing bottlenecks associated with meat and poultry processing in this country. Now’s the time for USDA to hear from the small-scale producers and processing facilities who continue to be impacted by these bottlenecks. Comments needed by August 30th.
Edited by:
Donna Coffin, Extension Professor, donna.coffin@maine.edu
Jason Lilley, Extension Professional, jason.lilley@maine.edu
Rebecca Long, Extension Professional, rebecca.j.long@maine.edu 
Tori Jackson, Extension Professor, tori.jackson@maine.edu
Brian Erickson, Extension Professional,
Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

Photos by Edwin Remsberg and others.
A message to our stakeholders:
As a valued UMaine Extension stakeholder, we just wanted to let you know that most county offices have reopened following Per University of Maine guidelines, face coverings are required indoors for any visitor or employee who is not fully vaccinated — on University or non-University property, in University administered facilities, or non-University administered facilities.
UMaine Extension is gradually returning to normal operations. Buildings and offices may have different protocols depending on staffing and, with that, we encourage you to call ahead.
Please contact UMaine Extension staff with any questions.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Penobscot County
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Piscataquis County
207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491 
Donna Coffin - Voicemail 207-262-7726

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Cumberland County
(207) 781-6099 or 1-800-287-1471

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Oxford County
207.743.6329 or 1.800.287.1482

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Androscoggin / Sagadahoc Counties
207.353.5550 or 1.800.287.1458

University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Somerset County
207.474.9622 or 1.800.287.1495 (in Maine)
The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).