Gabe Brown, farmer and rancher from Bismarck, North Dakota, will deliver the keynote address at the Maine Grass Farmers Network annual conference scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Kennebec Valley Community College, 92 Western Ave., Fairfield.
Brown, a pioneer of soil conservation farming, practices integration of crop and livestock production and no-till methods of farming to improve soil health and increase profits. Conference sessions will feature marketing grass-fed livestock products, forage quality and animal welfare in the livestock industry. Speakers include Don Hoenig, retired Maine state veterinarian and president of MIM consulting; and Jason Rowantree, Michigan State University assistant professor of beef cattle and forage utilization.
Cost is $70 for MGFN members, $85 for others. Lunch is included. The schedule and registration information are online. For more information or to request a disability accommodation, call University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Waldo County office, 342.5971, 800.287.426 (in Maine).