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News and events for Maine Beef Producers from 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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November 17-18, 2017
Wells Conference Center
University of Maine
Orono, Maine
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 Maine Beef Producers Association Scholarship Fund.
Who should attend: Beef cattle producers and farmers interested in keeping beef animals.
Cost
- November 17, Prime Rib Dinner: 35$ per person
- November 18, Cattlemen's College: 25$ for Member of MBPA/MOFGA or 35$ for non-members
Presentations
- Mineral Presentation, Dr. Wes Hornback, Cattle Technical Specialist, Purina Mills, LLC University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- USDA-FSIS Inspection Process and Food Sovereignty Law, Clinton Giustra
- Understanding Beef Cattle Handling Facility Design, Dr. Colt Knight, Assistant Professor of Extension, State Livestock Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Additional presentions: TBA
Lodging
Agenda
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November 17
- 6:00 PM - Prime rib dinner and social mixer with cash bar
- November 18
- 8:00 AM - Doors Open and Trade Show
- 9:00 AM - Welcome and Opening Remarks
- 9:15 - Noon - Educational Presentations
- Noon - 1:00 PM - Steak Lunch
- 1:00 - 2:00 PM - Educational Presentations
- 2:00 - 3:00 PM - Silent Auction Winners Announced, Closing Statements
For more information, contact Colt Knight at 207.581.2953 or 800.287.0274 (in Maine) or
colt.knight@maine.edu.
If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this program, please call Colt Knight at 207.581.2953 or 800.287.0274 (in Maine) to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however
all requests will be considered.
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 Call for Nominations for Beef Awards!
The Maine Beef Producers Association is asking for nominations for the following beef awards. When completing your nomination please make sure to include your contact information, contact information for the person you are nominating, what award you are nominating them for and why you think they are deserving of the award.
Maine Beef Producers Association Awards Criteria
- Seedstock Producer A farm operation honored for their accomplishments in the breeding and marketing of purebred seedstock.
- Beef Producer A farm or individual recognized for the production of consistently high quality beef cattle marketed as feeder cattle, fed cattle, or direct-market beef.
- Youth A person under the age of 21 recognized for their beef production and promotion accomplishments.
- Service An individual or organization recognized for their distinguished service to Maine beef producers.
- Hall of Fame Awarded to an individual, a farm operation, or an organization honored for making a significant contribution to beef production in Maine.
Send your award nominations to
Kevin Woltemath, President of Maine Beef Producers kwoltemath@pfnmeats.com
Nomination deadline is December 12th.
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Your Urgent Help Needed
The
MBPA Board acknowledges that the beef industry in Maine, especially for medium and small size farms has changed considerably over the past decade or so. The previous conditions which allowed us to have a very robust fall feeder auction with up to two hundred head no longer exists and it is for that reason that the fall auction was cancelled. Two weeks before the auction there were only 15 animals consigned so we made the difficult decision to put out the notice that there would be no fall auction. We further realize that because this was the second year that we could not get enough animals consigned to have a meaningful event, that it is unlikely that there will be fall auctions next year or in the future.
We do believe, however, that there is a need for a public sale to get buyers and sellers of animals together. The spring sale at
NELE this year was a moderate success and we would like to build on that event and even try to expand the sales and the format to include registered animals, breeding stock, young bulls, cow/calf combos, etc. We need the input all producers to try to put together a sale which people will have interest in.
Please join us at the
MBPA annual meeting at the Maine Agriculture Trade Show in Augusta on Wednesday, January 10th to join in that discussion. Also we are always looking for new board members. The only requirement is a willingness to further the Maine beef industry and be willing to meet monthly in Augusta with like minded people. (There may be an option of conference calling in to the meetings.) Contact me or any other board member for more information.
Russ Florenz, Secretary MBPA
r.jflorenz@gmail.com
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Farm Excel(TM) Training
For farmers who want to learn more about using Microsoft
Excel
spreadsheets in their businesses, University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a Farm
Excel
Training from
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 and Dec. 6
at the Penobscot County office,
307 Maine Ave., Bangor
.
The workshop, for farmers with some experience using the program, will introduce key components of
Excel
used to track farm financial income and expenses, as well as production information. The second session will introduce the Maine Farm Account Book template and its use within
Excel
.
The course is free; preregistration is required. Enrollment is limited to 20.
Register online
. For more information or to request a disability accommodation, contact the Penobscot County Extension office,
207.942.7396
,
800.287.1485
(in Maine); or
theresa.tilton@maine.edu
.
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Call for SARE Farmer Grant Applications
Northeast SARE is announcing the call for
Farmer Grant applications
, due online by
Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. ET
.
Farmer grants are for farm business owners and managers who have an innovative idea they want to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique. Projects should seek results other farmers can use and must have the potential to add to our region's knowledge about effective sustainable practices. A
narrated slide presentation
provides an overview of the Farmer Grants program.
Awards are capped at $15,000 and projects may address the wide range of issues that affect farming throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Applicants must work with a technical advisor who serves in a consulting capacity.
Application Materials
Visit nesare.org/FarmerGrant for the following application materials and helpful tools.
- Application Instructions
- Budget Template
- A Tip Sheet for Technical Advisors (a companion videois also available)
- "What is a Farm?" Definition
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Grant Timeline
- December 5, 2017: Online applications due.
- March 2018: Awards announced.
- Spring 2018: Projects begin and can run for up to two years.
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Items of Interest
- UMaine Extension Livestock Facebook Page! from the UMaine Extension Livestock Team - UMaine Extension's livestock programs help producers manage renewable resources, such as soil, water, nutrients, crops, buildings, equipment, and people. Like and follow this page to be the first to learn about UMaine Extension Livestock programs, events and information. Please like, share and follow!
- Dry Weather Affecting Grass Yields . . . Again? Crop Insurance Could Help.
- Farms for the Future - MDACF just released information about the fall 2017 round of the Farms for the Future Grant program. This year only 4 farms will be selected for this phase 1 of a two phase program.
- Testing Forage Quality - YouTube video from UMaine Extension discusses the nutritional importance of forage quality and recommended sampling techniques.
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Hay and Straw Directory -
Due to
numerous attempts by fraudulent hay buyers, we have had to remove the hay directory from the University website until an acceptable solution is found.
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Featured Resources
Video:
Moving Cattle on Foot - Curt Pate with NCBA
Grants & Loans:
App:
In 2015 the beef checkoff recently launched a new educational app, "All About Beef". App versions of "
The Steaks are High" and "
Grocery Grab" are STEM-based games geared toward students in grades 3-5. In addition to teaching nutrition and environmental facts, the apps also feature kid-friendly beef recipes. The My American Farm games, including "The Steaks are High" and "Grocery Grab" are available on the
iTunes store for iPhone and iPad, at
Google Play for Android devices, on
Amazon for the Kindle Fire and on
www.MyAmericanFarm.org.
Website:
Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online
Publications Catalog
for agriculture information, such as:
- Space Planning for Small, Multipurpose Livestock Barns #1021 Are you planning a new barn for your small livestock? The design of barns and other livestock facilities on small-scale farms in Maine depends on the number and types of livestock raised, grain- and feed-storage needs, and production methods used. This publication discusses state of Maine requirements, space recommendations, and more. 6 pages. © 2013 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Download it for free or buy a color copy $0.75.
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Upcoming Events
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Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2018 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 go to
http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com/forms.html
The Maine Beef Producers Association just started a new Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association.
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Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 680 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
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.
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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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Quick Links
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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/.
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
and
Colt Knight, Extension Livestock Specialist
Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in Maine.
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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 by Donna Coffin unless otherwise noted.
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Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
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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 (in Maine)
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Open Mon, Thurs, Fri
8 am to 4:30 pm,
Open Appointment on Wed
, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St.
Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491 (in Maine)
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Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
992 Waterville Road
Waldo, ME 04915-3117
207.342.5971 or 800.287.1426 (in Maine)
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