Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) are introducing new Maine Farm Emergency Grants to assist farmers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. A recent survey conducted by the Beginning Farmer Resource Network of Maine indicates farmers and food producers Read More »
Action Alert Items
Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Program
The National Sustainable Agricultural Coalition (NSAC) has published a comprehensive guide for the 2019-2020 Grant Cycle. Program Basics The Value-Added Producer Grant program (VAPG), a subprogram of the Local Agriculture Market program (LAMP), provides grants, awarded on a competitive basis, to individual independent agricultural producers, Read More »
Federal Register Publishes Interim Final Rule Establishing the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program
October 31, 2019 The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the official publication of an interim final rule, which establishes the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. This program, as required by the 2018 Farm Bill, creates a consistent regulatory framework around hemp production throughout the Read More »
NOP Origin of Livestock rule – Open for Public Comment
The public comment period is now open – please make your comments here by December 2nd, 2019. The current regulations provide two tracks for replacing dairy animals which are tied to how dairy farmers transition to organic production. Farmers who transition an entire distinct herd Read More »
Mainers Invited to Dispose of Unusable Pesticides
Free disposal with pre-registration by October 7 This October, Mainers can dispose of unusable and waste pesticides thanks to a project sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Read More »
Farmer Scholarships Available for Seattle NOSB Meeting
The National Organic Coalition is offering a limited number of scholarships to farmers wishing to attend the NOC Pre-NOSB meeting (April 23, 2019) & NOSB meeting (April 24 – 26, 2019) in Seattle, WA. The following important topics will be discussed during the NOC and Read More »
Maine Department of Education Seeks Farmers and Food Producers
The Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Program is excited to announce the launch of Maine’s Harvest of the Month (HOM) Program, piloting in Spring of 2019. The program is a nationwide marketing campaign promoting the use of seasonally available, local products in schools, institutions, Read More »
Comment Period Opens for Proposed Rule to Amend the National List for Crops + Handling
On February 15, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for crops and handling based on April 2018 recommendations from the National Organic Standards Board. This proposed rule Read More »
Hearing on Meat Labeling Bill (LD 351) Scheduled for Tuesday, Feb 12
On February 12 at 1 p.m. at the Cross Building in Augusta, the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry will hear a bill addressing the large of amount of meat being advertised falsely as “local” or “Maine-raised” when the animals actually were produced Read More »
Take Action to Save the Organic Certification Cost-Share Program
As the Agriculture Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives drafts language for the next Farm Bill, it is considering sweeping cuts to programs that support organic agriculture. One dire threat is significantly reducing, and possibly eliminating, the cost-share program for certified organic growers and Read More »
Organic Certification: A Critical Link in the Supply Chain
As the demand for organic food and products in the United States has grown dramatically over the last 10 years, so has the complexity of organic supply chains. The supply chain, domestically and internationally, now involves a series of complex transactions with businesses that grow, handle, Read More »