Maine Food System
Integrated Pest Management Saves Millions for Maine Potato Industry
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The potato industry is the largest agricultural sector in Maine, encompassing more than 530 businesses generating more than $540 million in sales, 6,100 jobs, over $230 million in personal income, and over $32 million in state and local taxes. The Maine potato crop, which averaged 16.8 billion pounds from 2019 to 2023, has its challenges from insects and pathogens alike. Costs to manage these pests can eat up profitability of the crop, and insecticide applications used to manage these pests can pose threats to the applicators, nontarget species, and the environment.
Response
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Diagnostic Research Laboratory provides pest identification and integrated pest management (IPM) education to commercial and home clients. IPM is a comprehensive approach to solving pest problems with the goal of providing safe, effective, economical, environmentally sound, and socially sensitive outcomes.
Extension’s Potato IPM program worked with 270 farms to monitor pest populations in potato fields in northern and central Maine. Using insect traps and field scouting, farms were visited weekly during the growing season to determine pest population status, and growers were given field reports and up-to-date management recommendations. Data collected from the potato farms were shared with potato growers throughout the state, the northeastern states, and eastern Canada through a weekly newsletter with 463 subscribers.
Growers using the information available through the IPM program have been able to successfully manage potato pests using minimal pesticide applications, because sprays were used only when population data indicated a specific need for control. Yields were improved or pesticide sprays reduced, and due to less pest damage, profitability was maintained or improved.
Results
In 2023, Extension’s IPM research and identification efforts saved Maine’s potato industry more than $5 million in losses avoided, yields increased, and pesticide uses reduced.
Wild Blueberry Weed and Blight Management
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Approximately 485 wild blueberry growers in Maine manage 41,000 acres of this culturally and economically important crop. Proper management of weeds and blight is essential to the success of this industry. Broadleaf and grass weeds compete with wild blueberries for light, water, and nutrients, and can reduce wild blueberry yield up to 80%. In Maine’s wild blueberry fields, “fine leaf sheep fescue” is resistant to many traditional herbicides and cultural weed management tools. Other challenges to blueberry fields are mummy berry and Botrytis blight diseases that can kill leaves and flowers. Each year weather conditions can affect susceptibility of wild blueberry plants to blight. Blueberry growers need to know when there is a high risk of disease to properly time their use of fungicides to be the most effective and to minimize their number of applications.
Response
Since 1945 when Blueberry Hill Farm was established, UMaine Extension has been conducting research and working with Maine farmers to understand the severity and distribution of fine leaf sheep fescue and how to reduce its spread. In 2023, we continued direct outreach with blueberry farmers individually and through agricultural trade shows and in-season field days. We designed and implemented a pruning and herbicide control demonstration at Blueberry Hill Farm to showcase different combinations of chemical and cultural ways to reduce the spread of this weed. To address mummy berry and Botrytis blight diseases, we use wild blueberry weather stations in wild blueberry fields around the state to monitor weather conditions and fungal development. Extension staff gather information from the blueberry growers and the weather station to provide wild blueberry disease reports on the risk of disease occurring in blueberry growing areas.
Results
Most growers can now identify fine leaf sheep fescue and have two herbicides and two cultural control options available to them. By suppressing this weed in wild blueberry fields, growers realize substantial savings on herbicides and increase wild blueberry yield and quality. More than 70% of blueberry growers who use fungicides to control mummy berry and Botrytis blight use Extension disease reports to determine the timing of fungicide applications. Mummy berry disease levels have dropped in most fields in Maine where growers use the blueberry disease reports. In recent years, levels of mummy berry disease have been 5% to 25% of stems infected, when in the past the levels were always 25% and higher.
Supporting Maple Producers and Encouraging Workforce Development
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Maine is the third largest producer of maple syrup nationwide, behind Vermont and New York. Our state produced 470,000 gallons of maple syrup in 2023. Annually, maple syrup contributes an estimated $49 million in production value, more than 800 full- and part-time jobs, and more than $25 million in labor income to Maine’s economy. Maple sugaring has a remarkable connection to the culture, history, and economy of Maine. To thrive, the industry needs research and educational support for 1) existing maple producers, 2) the general public, 3) sugarbush management and climate resilience, and 4) developing a trained workforce for the future.
Response
Extension’s maple education programs provide producers with resources about international grade standards, maple grading techniques, quality control, and food safety in the production process. For 18 years, Extension’s International Maple Grading School (IMGS) has been training maple producers, packers, and inspectors on best practices when grading syrup. In 2023, we offered programming on sugarbush management and climate resilience, including site visits, timely alerts and resources on weather events, and a full day sugarbush management conference and workshops. We provided public outreach and education through Maple Sugarmaking 101 courses and facilitated a new 4-H club through which youth learned about tree ages, identification, versatility of commercial and ecosystem benefits, the diversity of forest-related careers, and tapping maple trees.
Results
The continued success of the school and its participants helps promote the exceptional image of both the maple industry and its producers who create high-quality products. In 2023, the IMGS provided a platform for industry discussion and education about maple products, grading, and quality issues concerning pure maple syrup. Through Extension’s maple programming, 288 individuals learned about the maple industry, syrup grades, and diverse uses of syrup; more than 60 beginning or backyard sugarmakers participated in two Maple Sugarmaking 101 courses led by our team; and 93 producers participated in our new hybrid model for the IMGS. In addition, 62 producers participated in full-day maple grading programs, helping meet our goal of increasing the amount of marketed syrup that is food-safe, the proper density, free of flavor defects, and graded accurately to ensure consumers purchase syrup with flavor profiles that they expect. Through our 4-H club maple programming, Maine youth were exposed to the diversity of forest-related careers.
Maine Compost Schools Train Respondents for Animal Disease Outbreaks and Disaster Mortalities
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Composting is a management tool that can be utilized in a variety of sectors to reduce the amount of waste through decomposition and stabilization. Composting can be carried out to reduce food waste, manage animal mortalities, stop the spread of disease, and create a valuable and safe product that can be used in the agricultural, horticultural, and environmental engineering sectors. There is a national need for compost education as we move toward a more environmentally sustainable society.
Response
The University of Maine has identified the need to train members of the workforce on the composting process, uses, and applications, and has met that need by offering weeklong trainings multiple times a year focused on comprehensive composting training and composting to manage animal mortalities through general agricultural production or in the incidence of disease outbreaks or disaster mortalities. Participants in these trainings are tested on their composting knowledge and receive recognized certification.
Results
In 2023, 40 participants completed the Compost School and 30 participants completed the Carcass Management School. Participants in the Compost School have used the training as professional development and to bring a more robust and rounded set of composting skills back to various businesses to improve understanding, efficiency, and profitability. The majority of participants in our classes this year rated the course as excellent. Participants who have completed the Carcass Management School have passed the initial requirements to become a Composting Subject Matter Expert and will deploy in animal mortality outbreaks due to diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza during disaster events.
Building Agriculture Literacy Through an Immersive Culinary Experience
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Maine’s local food system is a collaborative network that integrates sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management to enhance the state’s environmental, economic, and social health. Consumers and the culinary arts (CA) workforce play vital roles in supporting a local food system through their daily food choices. Educational efforts targeted toward current and future consumers and the CA workforce will increase their agricultural literacy and positively impact the Maine Food System.
Response
UMaine Extension and Maine Ag in the Classroom collaborated to create the Building Agriculture Literacy through an Immersive Culinary Experience project to help career and technical education (CTE) CA instructors increase their agricultural literacy and enhance the connectedness between agriculture and food service. Funded and initiated in 2021, this four-year project is seeking to create a skilled and educated workforce that will increase the usage of Maine-grown, -processed, and -produced foods in their programs and careers. Project activities have included a weeklong Immersive Culinary Arts Summer Institute for CTE CA instructors, hands-on experience in local food procurement practices, demonstrations of food system lessons, educational field trips, financial support for experiential activities through their existing school restaurants, participation in a University of Maine Local Foods Competition, and coaching during the school year.
Results
In 2023, Maine Food System lessons and experiential food-based activities were delivered to 70% of Maine’s CTE CA programs (650 students and 26 CA Instructors), and 86% (21) of Maine’s CTE CA programs participated in the experiential learning events of the program. The purchasing power of consumers and the CA workforce matter. Maine is home to 1.3 million consumers who have an average annual expenditure on food of $4,576, representing a total value of over $5.9 billion. A consumer shift of 10% of their purchases to Maine-grown and -produced foods creates an influx of more than $594 million toward supporting Maine’s food-based economy. Maine’s restaurants generated $3.3 billion in 2021 and encompass 50,100 jobs in Maine—8% of the state’s employment. Shifting the local foods value system of the future CA workforce will positively impact the use of Maine-grown foods within this multibillion-dollar industry.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Increases Food Security and Healthy Behaviors
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In 2022, 10.9% of Maine people lived in poverty and 10.1% of Maine households experienced food insecurity. In 2022, 33% of Maine adults were obese—an increase from 31% in 2020. The combination of high rates of food insecurity and the complexity of the causes of obesity increases the risk of developing chronic diseases and reducing the quality of life for Maine people. Recent estimates of the cost of adult obesity on health care expenditures amounted to an increase of $1,861 in excess annual medical cost per adult, resulting in an annual rise in health care costs in Maine by more than $172 billion. Severe obesity was associated with excess costs of $3,097 per adult.
Response
To improve the food and nutrition security of Maine’s parents, caregivers, and young adults who are experiencing limited income, UMaine Extension delivers education through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) to improve behaviors related to diet quality, physical activity, and using food resources management practices to learn how to plan and shop for healthy meals and snacks. Program outcomes are measured for all adults using validated pre/post program questionnaires and 24-hour food recalls.
Results
In 2023, 258 adults participated in Maine EFNEP, and the education program reached a total of 1,269 individuals in program families. Fifty percent of adult participants completed pre- and post-surveys showing these results:
- 92% showed improvement in dietary intake.
- 90% showed improvement in food resource management practices.
- 69% showed improvement in physical activity behaviors.
- 73% showed improvement in food safety practices.
Specifically:
- 40% report eating fruit more often each day.
- 36% report eating vegetables more often each day.
- 31% report drinking soda less often.
- 43% report planning meals before shopping more often.
- 40% report making a list before shopping more often.
- 44% exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
Master Gardener Volunteers
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Public and private gardens are important tools for enhancing physical and mental health, and they play a key role in sustaining the health and vitality of our natural communities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, gardening has been on the rise in Maine, with our offices experiencing a tremendous influx of gardening questions. As it becomes more and more challenging to sort through information online, Maine gardeners need access to reliable research-based information, now more than ever. Extension trains and supports Master Gardener Volunteers (MGV), who help extend university knowledge to local communities through the teaching of sustainable gardening practices.
Response
The MGV program provides participants with a minimum of 64 hours of in-depth training in the art and science of horticulture. Trainees receive current, research-based information from our educators and industry experts and are connected with service projects that match their interests, skill sets, and availability. MGV coordinators facilitate relationships between MGVs and community partners, assisting with needs assessment, program planning, risk management, and problem solving. In 2023, MGV played a vital role in connecting communities with educational resources through community events, social media, and programming.
Results
The MGV program provides opportunities for gardeners with all levels of experience to connect with meaningful service projects in their community. In 2023, 733 volunteers donated 30,932 hours to a variety of educational and food security projects throughout the state, including school gardens, demonstration gardens, horticulture therapy gardens, pollinator and native gardens, and Maine Harvest for Hunger projects. Their efforts amounted to the direct reach of 932 youth and 3,106 adults through programming and the indirect reach of 3,500 Maine residents through outreach, news articles, TV features, and more. Many volunteers enter the MGV program intending to improve their gardening skills for their personal benefit and leave surprised by how deeply involved and passionate they become about community projects. As they become more involved with the program, they help establish meaningful connections in the communities where they live, and serve as educational resources for their neighbors, schools, towns, and community organizations. These relationships help grow our educational outreach efforts and facilitate positive change in communities across the State of Maine.
Maine Harvest for Hunger
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Maine continues to face significant challenges regarding food insecurity, with the highest rate in New England and ranked 20th nationwide. According to the latest data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 10.1% of Maine households are food insecure. Nationally, 17.3% of households with children under the age of 18 and 11.4% of households where an older adult was living alone experienced food insecurity in 2022. Given the pervasive nature of this problem, it remains imperative to implement comprehensive measures to ensure that all communities can adequately support their neighbors in times of need.
Response
Since 2000, UMaine Extension’s Maine Harvest for Hunger (MHH) program has mobilized gardeners, farmers, businesses, schools, and civic groups to grow, glean, and donate fresh produce to food security agencies. Our work involves training volunteers, developing partnerships with farms and organizations, organizing and leading volunteer opportunities, maintaining databases of sites accepting produce donations, and building awareness of the extent, causes, and impacts of food insecurity.
Results
In 2023, 262 MHH volunteers grew, gleaned, and distributed 203,991 pounds of produce, valued at $391,663, to 173 food security agencies throughout the state. We partnered with 112 farms and community gardens on these efforts. One shining example of the many creative ways we connect people with food is the Waldo County Give & Take program. These sites enable gardeners, homesteaders, and farmers to drop off excess produce, and people can obtain free produce anonymously and accessibly. This program began in 2020 with 10 sites; this year there were 19 sites. This project is part of Waldo County Bounty with coordination from Cooperative Extension. About 1,600 donations were recorded this year, which represents some but not all of the donated produce, seedlings, and seeds, and is equivalent to approximately 10,500 pounds of local, nutritious produce. From backyards to farms to school gardens, MHH is enhancing access to healthy food and offering volunteers a truly meaningful way to engage with their community.
Eat Well Volunteers Impact Food Security
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Food insecurity challenges 10.5% of Maine’s population (Map the Meal Gap, 2023). Although Hancock and Washington Counties house more than 19 food pantries dedicated to alleviating hunger, there exists a critical gap in educating pantry visitors about making healthy food choices and embracing nutrition education. Conventional food security initiatives primarily focus on distributing food, and many pantry patrons are constrained by availability and often find unfamiliar produce intimidating.
Response
The Eat Well Volunteer Program responds to this education gap by empowering families with tools to confidently prepare nutritious meals at home. Our trained volunteers guide pantry visitors through recipes, introduce them to unfamiliar produce, and foster a welcoming environment where they can openly learn about food safety and nutrition. This Extension program trains volunteers in essential skills, including sensitivity and inclusion training, food safety, knife skills and food preparation tips, nutrition standards, lesson plan reading, and cooking demonstrations. Through partnerships with pantries, the Eat Well Volunteer Program conducts regular, volunteer-led programming aligned with the growing season. Participants receive recipe packets related to featured monthly produce, tip sheets on food safety, fresh produce, and engaging and informative demonstrations at the pantries.
Results
Through this Extension and food pantry collaboration, more than 400 limited-income patrons have directly benefited from nutrition education, food safety training, and recipe preparation advice. Collaborating with UMaine Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, the program also contributes more than 500 pounds of fresh produce to food pantries annually, further enriching its nutritional programming. The impact extends beyond tangible benefits, as volunteers themselves report positive experiences and personal growth. Through the program, volunteers forge meaningful connections within their communities, experience the fulfillment of giving back, and enhance their knowledge about food education. Through education, collaboration, and hands-on involvement, the program is transforming lives and fostering a healthier, more resilient community.
Master Food Preservers Help Support Local Food System
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Over the past decade, interest and demand for local food and food preservation have continued to grow, due in part to economics and the public’s interest in supporting a local food system. UMaine Extension efforts seek to create a social shift toward a more educated and skilled public that will revitalize our local food system and positively impact the local agricultural economy through an increase in safely preserving local Maine foods at home to eat year-round.
Response
In 2023, 49 Master Food Preserver volunteers completed more than 350 hours of food preservation education, community projects, and administrative tasks. Volunteers taught preserving workshops through Adult Education, Cooperative Extension offices, and community centers. Volunteers staffed educational displays and demonstrated at farmers’ markets, harvest festivals, agricultural fairs, and local food events. In all, their community impact in volunteer time was valued at more than $11,000.
Results
These volunteer efforts reached more than 880 people in nine Maine counties. When surveyed, program participants report:
- 88% plan to do something differently when preserving.
- 100% understand how to preserve foods better.
- 96% feel more confident about their food preservation skills.
- plans to can jam and jelly, pickles, and tomato sauces, while freezing vegetables, fruits, and tomato sauces.
Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
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The vitality of Maine agricultural and aquacultural producers depends on many factors, including their success in identifying animal health–related problems.
Response
UMaine Extension’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) performs rigorous diagnostic testing of biological samples from domestic and wild animals. Services provided by the VDL support Maine livestock producers, companion animal owners, and animal health regulatory agencies. This includes disease surveillance with the state’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF); USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; and forensic pathology for animal abuse and neglect cases through DACF’s Animal Welfare Program. We conduct and collaborate on applied and basic research within Cooperative Extension, UMaine, and with state and federal agencies.
In 2023, the VDL responded to more than 100 client inquiries, reported on more than 250 case submissions, and received and processed more than 900 physical samples, including mastitis submissions (52% of samples), environmental surveillance samples for Salmonella enteritidis regulatory testing (29% of samples), necropsy + ancillary postmortem testing (20% of samples), and parasitology samples (9% of samples). Our veterinary anatomic pathologist conducted more than 80 necropsies on 17 different species, most commonly avian (46%) and small ruminants (14% goat, 8% sheep), with fewer dogs (10%), cats (3%), cattle (4%), and horses (3%) during this time. Twelve percent of necropsy cases are the result of collaborations with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife; these included red fox, raccoons, corvids (crows, ravens), raptors (red-tailed hawk), and cervids (deer, caribou).
Results
We were able to identify eight necropsy cases over the last eight months as reportable animal or zoonotic diseases, including rabies virus, eastern equine encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Avibacterium paragallinarum (infectious coryza), avipoxvirus (fowl pox), and Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease). This information will assist in guiding future applied research and educational outreach efforts. Our lab hires a small number of student workers of diverse backgrounds, who benefit the lab by providing energetic, curious, and detail-oriented efforts. These students help us adapt our methods to develop better teaching and outreach materials for farmers, at the same time as they receive mentoring and develop skills and knowledge that will help them in their veterinary careers. The VDL combines service, research, and education to improve agriculture, the food system, and the quality of life in Maine.