Maine Farmer Resource Network

Farm Service Agency Stands Ready to Assist Agricultural Producers Affected by the Drought U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Maine Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Don Todd, reminds farmers and livestock producers of federal farm program benefits that may be available to help eligible producers recover from drought. FSA offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan […]

The question of who farms tomorrow — and how they get access to good quality farmland — is one of the key challenges and opportunities for the farming and ranching community. For farmers seeking land, it can feel like a daunting task to find the right space to make a farm business. There are many […]

BUYERS: The Maine Seed Garlic Directory is organized by county, then alphabetically by seller. SELLERS: already listed on the directory below: Please, notify us of updates or when your supply is out or spoken for; email Tiffany Wing or call 207.778.4650. NEW SELLERS: To place a NEW listing, email Tiffany Wing or call 207.778.4650 to […]

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced approximately $11.2 million in financial assistance to American dairy producers enrolled in the 2016 Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). The payment rate for May/June 2016 will be the largest since the program began in 2014. The narrowing margin between milk prices and the cost of feed triggered the […]

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is offering three free, online, self-paced sustainable agriculture courses. These include Sustainable Agriculture Principles and Concept Overview, Strategic Farm/Ranch Planning and Marketing, and a new course on Agricultural Ecosystem Management. This program is designed primarily for Cooperative Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel and is open to farmers, […]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Maine today announced that dairy producers can enroll for 2017 coverage in the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) starting July 1. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating dairy producers when the margin — the difference […]

The Maine Migrant Education Program (MEP) is a federally-funded program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Title I, Part C) that provides supplemental educational services to the children of seasonal agricultural and fishing workers that move to new school districts in order to obtain work in industries such as blueberries, broccoli, apples, dairy, eggs […]

Agritourism is a great way to get the public onto your farm and into your farm stand. This marketing practice gives the public an opportunity to better understand where their food comes from and to see the hard work that goes into the food that you produce by getting them into your fields or up […]

Free Interactive Lessons Can Help Land and Finances Strategic livestock management can improve soil health, pastures, and profits. A new online tutorial, “Managed Grazing Tutorial,” by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) goes in-depth into how changing the way grazing animals are managed can improve both the condition of your land and your bottom […]

Crop insurance. Insurance payments from crop damage count as income. Generally, you should report these payments in the year you get them. Sale of items purchased for resale. If you sold livestock or items that you bought for resale, you must report the sale. Your profit or loss is the difference between your selling price […]