Donna Rae Coffin

Extension Professor Emerita
Retired June 2023 with 43 years of service at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Email: donna.coffin@maine.edu
Brief Biographical Career Sketch:
Job Description: 2010 – present:
County Extension Educator in Sustainable Agriculture and Home Horticulture:
Responsible for planning, conducting, and evaluating Extension educational programs for a
variety of clientele in Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties. Clientele include livestock and crop
farmers, horticulturist, home gardeners, new farmers, and the general public. I am a member of
the statewide Livestock Program Team and Home Horticulture Program Team and work
collaboratively with other Extension staff and service providers to conduct joint programs. In
support of my current programming efforts, I edit the Piscataquis County and Livestock web
sites. I also assist with conducting the So You Want to Farm in Maine? a program that focuses on
new farmers or farms with new farm enterprises in Maine.
Job Description: October 1980 to 2010:
County Extension Educator in Sustainable Agriculture and Home Horticulture:
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County Office,
165 East Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426
Responsible for planning, conducting, and evaluating Extension educational programs for a
variety of clientele in Piscataquis County. Clientele includes livestock and crop farmers,
horticulturists, home gardeners, and the general public. Also, work collaboratively with Educators
in adjacent counties to conduct joint programs in a more efficient manner. On a statewide basis I
co-chair the Home Energy Initiative, I also work with several statewide teams to manage these
programs: Livestock Team, Crop Team, and Home Horticulture Team. I am the statewide equine
and beef contact for both adult and youth programming. In support of my current programming
efforts, I have authored four websites including: forth tier web pages for Piscataquis County;
statewide Master Gardener Program; state-wide adult equine program; assisting new farmers or
new farm enterprises in Maine.
Position history at the University of Maine
2010 – 2022 Extension Educator, Piscataquis & Penobscot Counties, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
1983 – 2010 Extension Educator, Piscataquis County, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
1980 – 1983 County Extension Agent, Piscataquis County, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Academic Training:
Degree Year Institution
MS 1976 University of Maine, Orono
BS 1974 University of Maine, Orono

In October 1980, I was hired as an Extension Agent in Sustainable Agriculture, Home Horticulture, and 4-H in Piscataquis County for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Over the years my title changed to Extension Educator for Sustainable Agriculture and Home Horticulture; the geographic area I covered expanded to Penobscot County, as well as statewide for some subject areas. In 2011 I was promoted to UMaine Extension Professor and in 2019 was
granted a Post Tenure Compensation Award.

Over the years, I have conducted or collaborated on 33 research projects including 4 multi-state projects and 9 student projects. I authored or co-authored 9 peer-reviewed journal articles, 22 professional conference proceedings, 19 poster sessions, and made 19 peer-reviewed professional presentations. I have authored, co-authored, or edited 43 statewide Extension Fact sheets, and posted 89 YouTube or other video recordings of programs that I either conducted or collaborated on with other staff or ag service providers. I have presented, planned, or organized over 2,300 meetings, presentations, and events in Piscataquis County, Penobscot County, and the State of Maine, both live and virtual that were attended by an estimated 39,000 people.

I have been PI, Co-PI, collaborator, or assisted in the implementation of over $2.6 Million in
grants, program fees, and county funding to local offices.

My efforts over the years have resulted in the following awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Association. Search for Excellence in Farm and Ranch Business Management: National Finalist in 2022; Search for Excellence in Consumer and Commercial Horticulture: National Finalist in 2019; Communications Program: Computer Generated Graphics: National Finalist in 2017: Scotts Horticulture Communications: National Winner in 1983. Also, I was awarded the NACAA Distinguished Service Award in 1996 and Achievement Award in 1984. Both of these last awards are voted on by the Maine membership of NACAA.

I have been a continuing member of National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA), Maine Association of Extension Agents (ME-NACAA), American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), and Council of Agriculture Science and Technology (CAST.)

Peer-Reviewed Referred Journal Articles:

1. Coffin, D., Growing Gardens One Tomato ™ at a Time, 2019, NACAA Journal, Vol 12.
Iss. 1, https://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=925
2. Coffin, D., Causey, R., Staniar, B., Williams, C., McKeever, K., Gradil, C., Nadeau, J, Sanchez, A., Lichtenwalner, A., Biddle, A., Cole, K., Assessing Research and Education Needs to Improve Equine Gastrointestinal Health, 2017, NACAA Journal vol10 iss 1. http://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=708
3. Coffin, D. R., R. Kersbergen, More Maine Meat, 2015, Journal of NACAA, vol 8 iss 1. http://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=466
4. Coffin, D. R., H. T. Cheng, Variation Between Urban and Rural Farm Direct Market Customers, 2011, Journal of the NACAA, Vol 4 Iss. 1. http://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=86
5. Coffin, D. R., Short Paper Fiber Bedding for Equines, 2011, Journal of the NACAA, Vol 4 Iss 1. http://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=81
6. Coffin, D. R., June 2007, Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Gardening Newsletter, Journal of Extension, Vol. 45 No. 3, Art No. 3TOT1. http://www.joe.org/joe/2007june/tt1p.shtml
7. Cheng, H., D. Lamb*, L. Dang, 2006, Factor Analysis of Consumer Attitudes Towards Farm Direct Markets, J. Food Distribution. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/8544
8. Congleton, W.R., Jr., D. R. Coffin, R. J. Rowe, C. J. Sniffen, H. C. Dickey, S.D. Musgrave and H. A. Leonard, 1981, Oxygen Consumption in Heifers at Three Months of Age-Related to Lactation Milk Energy, Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 64, No., Pages 1863-1868.
9. Musgrave, S. D., C. J. Sniffen, H. D. Dickey, H. A. Leonard and D. R. Coffin, 1977, Oxygen Consumption by the dairy calf as a potential predictor of productivity. American Society of Animal Science Abstracts, vol. 45, p. 329.
*Published under my former name.

2021 Search for Excellence Covid-19 programming

2021 Search for Excellence Livestock programming