Maine Forage Conference
Friday, November 8, 2024
9:00 a.m.–2:15 p.m.
Governor’s Ballroom, 376 Main Street, Waterville, Maine 04901
The annual Maine Forage Conference is an excellent opportunity for members of the dairy, equine, beef cattle, small ruminants, and other livestock industries to come together, learn about forages from subject matter experts and colleagues, have good food, and attend a trade show. The 2024 agenda promises the participation of featured speakers, a farmer panel, the Maine Hay Contest award ceremony, and a space for sponsor recognition, trade show, and socialization.
Cost: $20 per participant; $50 per booth and two participants for the Trade Show
Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Registration closes on October 31, 2024.
Agenda
9:00–9:30 a.m.: Registration and reception
9:30–9:45 a.m.: Welcome, trade show introduction and sponsor recognition
9:45–10:15 a.m.: Nicholas Richardson. Presentation: “Short talk on interpreting forage test results.”
10:15–10:30 a.m.: Break
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Farmers panel and Q&A session
12:30–1:00 p.m.: Rick Kersbergen. Presentation: “Takeaways from 35 years in Extension…”
1:00–2:00 p.m.: Lunch
2:00–2:15 p.m.: Maine Hay Contest awards
2:15 p.m.: Adjourn
Speakers
Nicholas (Nick) Richardson
Nick Richardson is the Sales Manager at Kent Nutrition Group’s Blue Seal Retail Stores Division. Originally from England, he went to school to study animal science to manage large farms. Consulting work brought him to work for a company in the United States, and eventually, he ended up in Maine, where he lives now. Before joining Blue Seal 20 years ago, Nick worked for a competing grain company and was aware of Blue Seal’s reputation. Today, Nick works with the 17 Company-owned Blue Seal stores In Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and New York.
Richard (Rick) Kersbergen
Rick Kersbergen is an Extension Professor Emeritus, having worked for UMaine Extension since 1987. He served as the state’s sustainable dairy and forage systems educator, working on numerous research and demonstration projects with the University of New Hampshire, the University of Vermont, and the USDA. He currently works as an independent contractor on several agricultural projects and is a contractor in the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s PFAS program.
