Maine Farmer Resource Network

Farmers who want to sell meat directly to restaurants, grocery stores, or consumers need a reliable and skilled partner; the meat processor is an essential team member and an asset to the business. This publication suggests some key ways to work effectively with a meat processor and lists resources for further information.

Eggs from small flocks of chickens are more likely to be contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis than eggs sold in grocery stores, which typically come from larger flocks that are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. That conclusion — which flies in the face […]

This new ATTRA publication by NCAT Specialist Chris Lent identifies the unique benefits of high tunnels to urban farmers. It addresses a number of issues — basics of siting and constructing a high tunnel, for example, as well as some of the policy and zoning challenges urban growers face when planning to erect a tunnel […]

Organic Producers and Handlers May Apply for Certification Cost Share Reimbursements; Expanded Eligibility for Transition and State Certification Cost USDA is making changes to increase participation in the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP) and the Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program, and at the same time provide more opportunities for organic […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is preparing to conduct the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture is the leading source of facts and figures about American agriculture. Conducted every five years, the Census provides a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. […]

Farmers might find this link useful in understanding the 2018 Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill is renewed about every five years and includes income supports for farmers, conservation, nutrition, research, agricultural education, rural development, crop insurance, and many other agricultural topics. The next Farm Bill is expected to be reauthorized in 2018. This document describes the process and invites input: Farm Bill (PDF).

Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows (or the equivalent) can submit applications to […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue nearly $1.7 billion in payments to more than half of a million Americans who have contracts with the government to protect sensitive agricultural lands. The investment, part of the voluntary USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), will allow producers to protect almost 24 million acres of wetlands, grasslands […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced the availability of $17.6 million for research and outreach activities to support the organic agriculture sector. The grants are funded through NIFA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. OREI funds high-priority research, education […]