Staff and programs can be accessed by calling the MOFGA Office (207) 568-4162 directly or visiting the Farmer Resource page.
Staff
Reach out to any staff with questions, to request a farm visit or learn more about programs.
Beginning Farmer Programs Specialist – provides support and education for aspiring and beginning farmers. See comprehensive farmer training programs below. Bo Dennis, 207-568-6016 bdennis@mofga.org
Farmer Professional Development Specialist – provides support and education for established farmers. See comprehensive farmer training programs below. Anna Mueller, amueller@mofga.org
Organic Crop & Production Specialists – work with farmers to develop soil and pest management plans, crop rotation using green manures and help solve disease and insect problems. Caleb Goossen, 207-568-6029, cgoossen@mofga.org and Mariam Taleb, 207-505-8471, mtaleb@mofga.org
Organic Dairy and Livestock Specialist – primarily supports dairy farmers with all aspects of dairy farming, but can also answer questions about other livestock issues. Jacki Perkins, jperkins@mofga.org
Organic Marketing and Business Specialist – assists farms with market research and developing marketing and business plans. Also offers programming to support viability such as price reporting, technical assistance grants, and consumer education materials. Nicolas Lindholm, 207-505-5752, nlindholm@mofga.org
Resources & Programs
Learn about all of our farmer resources and sign up for our Farmer Programs newsletter, where we highlight grant opportunities, at mofga.org/farmer-resources
Shared Use Farm Equipment – Subscription-based program maintains a pool of specialized equipment at MOFGA for farmers to borrow. Equipment currently includes a seedbed cultivator, mulch layer/bed former, subsoiler, ridge tiller, and strip tiller. Contact Jacki.
Fact Sheets – MOFGA publishes fact sheets on a variety of crop and livestock production topics, as well as conservation and organic certification. mofga.org/Fact-Sheets
Market and Organic Price Reporting – From 2006 to 2021, MOFGA conducted surveys of prices charged by MOFGA certified organic farmers in Maine for both direct retail and wholesale sales, and we maintain a database of these historic reports –please contact Nicolas to receive past price reports or specific crop price histories. We also collaboratively produce seasonal market reports to provide a platform for sharing data and information relevant to what’s happening at markets, specifically to support communication between Maine farmers and buyers. For these marketing resources, see mofga.org/farmer-resources/marketing-resources/. For other price reporting, see the Maine Farmers Market Price Report which we helped develop and maintain at extension.umaine.edu/agriculture/maine-farmers-market-price-report.
Pest Reports – A compilation of short discussions of pests and diseases either working the fields or soon to be seen. Discussions include biology of the pest organism, effects on the plant, and recommended solutions. To sign up to receive them – mofga.org/farmer-resources/pest-reports.
Financial Resources – information about MOFGA farmer grants and the Organic Farmer Loan Fund are available at mofga.org/farmer-resources/financial-resources.
Organic Farmer Loan Fund – The loan fund provides loans to small and medium-sized businesses seeking to expand or enhance their farm or processing operations. Funds in this program may also be used for re-strategizing, working capital or equipment purchases. Loans from the Organic Farmer Loan Fund are in the range of $2,000 to $25,000. mofga.org/organic-farmer-loan-fund
Comprehensive Farmer Training Programs:
mofga.org/trainings/farmer-training-programs Contact Bo Dennis for beginning farmer programs and Anna Mueller for farmer professional development.
Farm Apprenticeships – This program connects people wanting to learn organic farming with experienced farmers willing to share their expertise. Typical arrangements involve an exchange of labor for room, board, a stipend, and informal, intensive training and experience in farming. mofga.org/apprenticeship
Journeyperson Program – Provides 2-years of hands-on support, training, and mentorship for Maine farmers in their first few years of business. mofga.org/trainings/farmer-training-programs/journeyperson-program
MOFGA Farm Beginnings – 10 week long business and whole farming planning course for beginning farmers and food producers. This course teaches decision making, goal setting, business planning tools, all taught and facilitated by other farmers. mofga.org/trainings/farmer-training-programs/farm-beginnings
Maine Farm Resilience Program – application-based program providing technical assistance, mentorship, financial support, and business planning support for farmers with 3+ years of experience working to ensure the long-term viability of their agricultural business. mofga.org/trainings/farmer-training-programs/maine-farm-resilience-program
MOFGA Educational Events – MOFGA hosts hundreds of meetings, workshops, conferences, dinners, and festive gatherings throughout the year on a wide range of topics and skill levels. Events take place at our Common Ground Education Center in Unity, and on farms, businesses, online and other at venues statewide. mofga.org/trainings
There’s so much more… for general inquiry, visit mofga.org, call 568-4142, or email mofga@mofga.org