Maine Farm News
Maine Farm News
November 6, 2021
In This Edition
ARTICLES
  • Farms for the Future – Phase 1 Grant Applications Now Being Accepted
  • Maine Produce Safety Grant
  • New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference 2021-Online Light!
  • Fall Youth Agricultural Leadership Ambassador Program
  • Shared Used Equipment Loan Program Needs in S. Maine? Your Input Needed
  • Farmers Wanted: Serve on the NE SARE Administrative Council
  • Apply Now for the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program
  • MOFGA TA Grant Now Open for Applications
  • Are You a Maine Farmer, Food and/or Beverage Business Who Wants to Sell Their Products to Wholesale Buyers?

OTHER INFO
  • Upcoming Events
  • Resources
  • Payments Grants and Loans
  • Information for Livestock Keepers
  • Surveys
Maine Farm News
mature turkeys on pasture
Farms for the Future – Phase 1 Grant Applications Now Being Accepted
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's (DACF) is welcoming applications for the Farms for the Future (FFF) program.

Successful applicants will receive tailored business planning support from a variety of qualified service providers, as well as financial and technical assistance to assist with the development of ideas and plans to improve farm viability (Phase 1). They also may be eligible to apply for implementation and investment support (Phase 2).

How to Apply
The Request for Application (RFA#202109150) with information about eligibility and all application materials can be can be obtained at the Division of Procurement Services website. 

Submission Deadline of December 6, 2021. 

Contact Information
Questions about FFF must be submitted to Alex Redfield, Program Administrator, at alexander.redfield@maine.gov prior to November 10 at 11:59pm. Please use the form included in the RFA packet to submit questions.
Maine Produce Safety Grant
Maine Produce Safety Improvement Grants (MPSIG) help specialty crop growers i.e, growers of fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops to:
  • implement on-farm food safety practices;
  • transition to compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR);
  • meet market demands for on-farm food safety.
Eligibility:
Applications must be from Maine farms engaged in production agriculture of specialty crops for commercial purposes that gross at least $10,000 in annual sales. Proposed projects are restricted to improving the food safety of specialty crops.
This program is managed by MOFGA and open to all Maine commercial specialty crop farms.
How to Apply:
Request for Applications (RFA) Released: August 1, 2021
Application Deadline: December 15, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.
Contact: Direct questions about the program to Anna Mueller- Farmer Professional Development Specialist- amueller@mofga.org -- (207) 568-6017
New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference 2021-Online Light!
December 13-17, 2021
 
$50 registration fee gains you full access to the program and 3-months access to the recordings
 
5-days of presentations, designed with the zoom-fatigued farmer in mind. 10 Sessions will run 9-11am and 1:30-3:30 Monday thru Friday, December 13-17, 2021
 
Topics include: Tillage Reduction and Innovation, Tree Fruit 1 & 2, Berry 1 and 2, Vegetable Disease and Pest Updates, Automation for Small Vegetable Growers, Climate Adaptation Strategies on the Farm, Soil Heath, Inspiration from Away.
 
Fall Youth Agricultural Leadership Ambassador Program
UMaine Cooperative Extension 4-H is offering a new agricultural leadership program for Maine teens meeting weekly from 3:30-4:45 p.m. Nov. 2–Dec.14.

The “Fall Agricultural Leadership Ambassador Program” is designed to provide agricultural education and leadership experiences online and in person to Maine youth ages 14–18. Participants will explore their shared interest in agriculture, including career pathways and post-secondary options, and examine current issues in food systems, livestock and crop sciences, aquaculture and more. Current 4-H membership is not required.

The program is free, registration is required. Register on the program webpage. Current CDC and University of Maine health guidelines will be followed for all in-person events. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sara Conant, 207.781.6099; sara.conant@maine.edu.
Shared Used Equipment Loan Program Needs in S. Maine? Your Input Needed
Please take a moment to share your thoughts on a potential specialized equipment share program for Southern Maine Farmers. This brief survey is designed to gauge your equipment needs, and your likelihood to utilize a shared equipment loan program if one were formed. This information is being collected by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of York and Cumberland County and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Find the Shared Use Equipment Needs and Interest survey here.
Farmers Wanted: Serve on the NE SARE Administrative Council
Apply Now for the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program
USDA is currently accepting applications for the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program. Applications must be submitted electronically through the grant portal at https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/usda by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 22, 2021. Approximately $650 million in funding is available for the PRS grants.

Don’t wait until the last minute. The first step in applying is getting a DUNS number which can take up to 5 days.

Once you have your DUNS number, the application takes less than 10 minutes. The application, FAQs, tip sheets, and information on how to apply is on the PRS Grant Portal. Resources are also available in Spanish on the PRS webpage.
Small businesses and nonprofits in the following industries can apply for a grant to cover COVID-related expenses such as workplace safety measures (e.g., personal protective equipment (PPE), retrofitting facilities for worker and consumer safety, shifting to online sales platforms, transportation, worker housing, and medical costs:
  • Specialty crop producers
  • Shellfish farming, finfish farming, aquaculture, apiculture
  • Specialty crop, meat, and other processors
  • Distributors
  • Farmers markets

Contact information for providers offering technical assistance on this grant application is available on the AMS PRS grant webpage under ‘Additional Resources’: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/prs.
MOFGA TA Grant Now Open for Applications
MOFGA's Technical Assistance (TA) Grant program is now taking applications for this coming year, and is for organic farmers, processors and food businesses. These are small grants that can be used in many different ways. Examples of past uses of TA Grant funds include enterprise budgeting, setting up a QuickBooks chart of accounts, designing linked inventory tracking spreadsheets, market research, branding or label or logo development, website or social media development, structural engineering and building design, legal services for business restructuring and succession planning, product development, and food safety certification.

The TA Grant is funded this year by the Agricultural Viability Alliance (with some new eligibility requirements), to help farmers, processors and food entrepreneurs access technical assistance for their business. Individual grants will range from $1,000 to $2,000, and are capped at $2,000 per applicant.

Here is the link to all the information, including the application.

Application deadline: November 21, 2021
Maine Farmland Trust's 2022 Business Planning Programs
This year, Maine Farmland Trust is offering two business planning programs: Business of Farming, for experienced farmers looking to analyze their current business model; and Farming for Wholesale, for farmers who currently serve wholesale accounts and are ready to significantly scale up.

The Business of Farming is for experienced farmers who want to analyze their current business model and use the information for decision making.

Farming for Wholesale is for experienced farmers who currently serve wholesale accounts and are ready to scale up significantly. Farming for Wholesale is a highly-selective, competitive application program.
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Are You a Maine Farmer, Food and/or Beverage Business Who Wants to Sell Their Products to Wholesale Buyers?
The Augusta Civic Center procurement list may be for you!

The Augusta Civic Center (ACC) is an event venue managed by the City of Augusta. It hosts numerous events (such as the Maine Ag Trades Show, currently planned for January 2022). 
ACC event clients have choices for food and beverage requests. Having your business information set-up with the ACC allows clients to see your product in the food and beverage menu choices. 

How to pursue this option - Get in touch with the ACC!
  • Email the ACC's reservation coordinator, Forrest Bumford
  • Be prepared to provide necessary product information - such as an easy-to-read list of available products, prices and seasonality
  • Be prepared to provide necessary business information - such as your payment details, and completed W-9 for the City of Augusta
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
National Grazing Lands Coalition
NatGLC is expanding their efforts to further their mission to provide voluntary ecologically and economically sound management of all grazing lands for their adaptive uses and multiple benefits to the environment and society through science-based technical assistance, research and education.  In addition to their bi-monthly newsletter, Herd News starting November 15th they are expanding their reach by partnering with Producer’s Voice to expand their dissemination of information.
Producer’s Voice is a brand-new publication that will be delivering content through written stories, podcasts, and videos.
The Maine Grass Farmers Network is the local chapter of the NatGLC.
Best Management Practices for Sheep Grazing at Solar Installations
The DACF and University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMCE), with assistance from USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, have created Best Management Practices (BMPs) for sheep grazing at solar installations. This guidance document is intended to provide farmers and landowners with practical information for establishing and maintaining appropriate vegetative ground cover utilizing sheep while minimizing soil erosion and storm runoff. The BMPs should be viewed as guidelines that provide a starting framework for planning purposes. 
NOTE: for solar projects 20 acres or greater that must receive permits from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), additional steps will need to be taken to gain DEP approval for solar grazing at the site. For more information, please contact Jim Beyer at: jim.r.beyer@maine.gov or 207-446-9026.
Surveys
Shared Use Equipment Program Needs in S. Maine
Please take a moment to share your thoughts on a potential specialized equipment share program for Southern Maine Farmers. Find the Shared Use Equipment Needs and Interest survey here.
American Farm Bureau Foundation announced 'American Farm Trail,' a new agritourism app that will showcase agritourism operations and tours. Developers are looking for agritourism stops to add to the app. Farms and attractions can create their own free profile showcasing their operation, history, products, and more.
Public Perception of Vertical Farming Survey
We were contacted by a high school senior from North Dakota on their FFA Agriscience research project. This year their project is studying the public's perception of vertical farming. They are hoping to collect many out-of-state and out-of-country responses on the survey in order to obtain more accurate results for their project.
If you are willing to help out this student, please take a few minutes to complete this short survey. The survey will close November 12th.
Farm Management Practices and Exposure to Microplastics Survey
You are invited to participate in an anonymous survey evaluating farm management practices and exposure to microplastics. Your contact information was obtained from the Maine Cooperative Extension farmer list. My name is Denise Cole, and I am an Ecology and Environmental Science student in the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture at the University of Maine. This survey is part of an undergraduate research project I am doing to evaluate the risk management and risk perceptions on Maine farms in relation to microplastic exposure. I am asking farmers who raise livestock and/or grow crops in Maine to complete this survey. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You must be 18 years old to participate. If you are interested, click on the link below to learn more about the project and to complete the survey.
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
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).