The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), expanding eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities as well as updating payments to accurately compensate some producers who already applied for the program. Producers who are now eligible and those who need to modify existing applications due to these updates can contact USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) between Jan. 19 and Feb. 26.

MOFGA’s Maine Farm Resilience Program provides individualized support to advanced-beginning farmers (5-9 years experience) grappling with critical questions of scaling up, accessing and adapting to new markets, managing risk, innovation and diversification, and re- strategizing business plans to achieve long-term farm viability. Applications due January 30.

How do you implement a good idea without having the result simply feel like a lot of hard work? One way is to use an action planning tool that can break down the components of this grand vision into workable steps. Rather than pit your ideas against their reality, the action planning tool can identify who does what (and by when) in an objective way.

To get a copy of the action planning tool, reach out to the farm coaching team!

During the Maine Agriculture Trades Show the Maine Beef Producers Association released a YouTube video produced by Dr. Colt Knight, UMaine Extension featuring Rob Dumas CEC UMaine demonstrating slow cooking of beef short ribs.

Video of the live streamed sessions on red meat and poultry were added to the UMaine Extension Livestock Facebook page. UMaine Extension staff, MDACF staff, and farmers talked about how livestock producers can sell meat from their animals.

Jan 27, 12 pm Swine

Feb 3, 12 pm Poultry

Feb 10, 12 pm Processing Expectations