Your Monthly News & Updates |
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News and events for the Maine Beef Producers from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Beef Producers Association and other agricultural organizations in Maine. |
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What's New?
- Maine Agricultural Trades Show Going Virtual
- Maine Beef Producers Association Annual Meeting
- Beef Educational Sessions at the MBPA Annual Meeting & Trades Show
- GenerationNext Program
- Survey Request
- Upcoming Events
- Maine Beef Producers Association Membership
- National Beef Prices
- Items of Interest
- Featured Resources
- Newsletter Subscription Information
- Mission of Newsletter and Quick Links
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Maine Agricultural Trades Show Going Virtual
Join Us Online January 2022
Save the dates: January 10 through Thursday January 14, 2022
The Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry (DACF) knows the Agricultural Trades Show (ATS) is an annual chance to catch up and connect. After listening to concerns raised by our industry's stakeholders and carefully assessing potential risks to public health amid a sustained surge of COVID-19, we are announcing today that the 2022 ATS will be held online instead of in-person the week of January 10, 2022. In the coming days, we will share details of the new online event, including the anticipated schedule and information on how content will be made available. The Department looks forward to promoting participants and fostering a robust online community celebrating Maine agriculture over the course of the virtual event, January 10-14, 2022.
A Variety of Online Resources and Outreach Planned:
We will continue to support connections for business advising, presentations about emerging trends and topics, and introductions to the people Maine's agricultural and natural resource businesses can turn to for year-round support.
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Annual Meeting of the Maine Beef Producers Association
Friday, January 7th
2 pm - Live and in-person or virtual
Maine Farm Bureau Office
Augusta
The MBPA will hold a live in-person annual meeting on January 7th at 2 pm at the Farm Bureau Office, 4 Gabriel Dr., Augusta. Due to the pandemic we encourage vaccinations and mask wearing for those who attend.
Agenda:
- How to choose the right cuts of beef for the best ground beef and meatballs. - Chef Rob Dumas UMaine
- Building Your Own Smokehouse to Enjoy Your Own Meat - Dr Colt Knight, UMaine Extension
- Beef Awards Presentation
- Election of Board of Directors
- Old Business
- New Business
- Maine Beef Producers Association Board Meeting - to elect officers.
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MBPA Annual Meeting & Maine Agricultural Trades Show Beef Educational Sessions
Beef educational information at the virtual Maine Agricultural Trades Show will include the following video presentations which are repeated from the MBPA Annual Meeting the week before.
- Chef Rob Dumas CEC of UMaine School of Food and Ag will demonstrate how to choose the right cuts of beef for the best ground beef, and will show how to grind beef properly. Chef will also demonstrate how to make meatballs in both an Italian (Rosemary Parmesan) and Asian (Hoisin BBQ) preparation.
- Building Your Own Smokehouse to Enjoy Your Own Meat - Dr Colt Knight, UMaine Extension Livestock Specialist
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GenerationNext Program For the Next Generation of Agricultural, Fishing, and Forestry Managers
Online, Each Wednesday 10-12: Jan. 5-Feb. 23 (8 sessions)
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In-Person, Central Maine (Bangor Area) 3 days of classes: (10am-3pm)
Jan. 5, 2022 / Jan. 19, 2022 / Feb. 9, 2022 Sign up by Dec. 24
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Survey Request - Impact of Stress on Farmers
Hi! My name is Izzy Ruffin, and I am a current graduate student in the Peace and Reconciliation program at the University of Maine at Orono. I have been farming full time since 2016 and currently work at Winter Hill Farm, a small, diversified dairy farm in Freeport, Maine and Lost & Found Farm, a blueberry and flower farm, in Dresden and Gray, Maine.
I am currently writing a research paper for a Mediation: Premise, Practice and Policy class on the cumulative impact of stress on Maine farmers and how the impact of that stress can and should be addressed. This short anonymous survey, intended for farmers, will take no more than 5 minutes. The survey is intended for anyone farming in Maine, not just farm owners or managers. The results of this survey will serve as supplemental evidence to substantial research on stress and stress management in the field of agriculture and point to existing resources that are already available for free to Maine farmers through organizations like the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. With any hope, the paper will be officially published by the University of Maine in the Spring.
From one farmer to another,
Izzy
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Jan. 7, 2022 MBPA Annual Meeting 2 pm to 5 pm at the Maine Farm Bureau Office, 4 Gabriel Dr., Augusta. contact info@mainebeefproducersassociation.com for the Zoom link.
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Jan. 11 to 13, 2022: Maine Agricultural Trades Show, Currently planned as in-person event at the Civic Center in Augusta. You are welcome to share ideas for the show on the website.
- Jan. 12, 2022 Beef Educational program videos will be available during the virtual Agricultural Trades Show.
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The MBPA website has information about the association, the board of directors, and forms for awards, activities, and sales.
You can join the association online and pay by credit card on a secure site or by mailing the information to Sally Caverly by either printing off the form from the website, or completing the pdf version of the form and mailing to her at 1457 River Rd., Clinton, ME.
Members have the opportunity to have their farm listed with a photo, description of their farm, and a link to their own farm website. You can add this information when you join or send the information and digital photo to Russ Florenz at info@mainebeefproducersassociation.com
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National Beef Prices
National Monthly Grass Feb Beef Report - includes wholesale and retail (direct to consumer) prices of cuts of meat as well as small and very small producer carcass prices (wholesale $3.85/# - direct to consumer $7.46/# to $9.12/#.) Also includes grazing fees per AUM for 17 state survey ($20/AUM.)
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Information
Grants & Loans
Equipment, supplies, etc.
- No-Till Drill available to Maine Grass Farmers Network members.
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Maine Hay Directory - is available to help farmers with hay to sell and farmers looking for hay to buy. Be cautious of hay scams. FARMERS WITH HAY AVAILABLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO UPDATE THEIR LISTING NOW. Either call (207) 342-5971, email billiejo.pendleton@maine.edu, or mail updates to Waldo County Extension Office, 992 Waterville Rd, Belfast, ME 04915.
Agriculture Jobs
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Videos:
Webinar:
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Lambing, Kidding, and Calving on Pasture This free webinar from Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) on January 13, 2022, features a panel of NCAT Agriculture Specialists. Margo Hale, Tracy Mumma, Linda Poole, and Linda Coffey will discuss how they handle lambing, kidding, and calving, including what to have on hand, helpful tools, recognizing imminent birth, how a normal birth proceeds, and when and how to intervene.
Publications:
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Maine Beef Producers Association |
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association.
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2021 year. Annual dues are $35. For an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application and online payment go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com
The Maine Beef Producers Association has a Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association. Facebook
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Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 730 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension since 2011. As of January 1, 2015, the MBN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There will still be four ways to receive the MBN from UMaine Extension:
1) Maine Beef Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at http://bit.ly/PPfarming If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. If you are interested in subscribing send a $15 check made out to UMaine Extension to Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426.
3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter.
4) Maine Beef Producers Association members who do not have an email on file will receive a printed copy of the newsletter as a benefit of their membership.
We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with your family and friends.
Thank you for your continued support of the MBN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for beef producers and those interested in the beef industry in Maine since 2011.
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Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
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Local Weather Anytime
Many farming activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about rain predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at http://www.weather.gov/car/.
Need Pesticide Credits
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Colt Knight, Extension Specialist
Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in central Maine.
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
Photos: Donna Coffin unless indicated otherwise.
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Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485
Piscataquis County Office - website
Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm - Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491
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