In order for farms to continue to provide the economic, environmental, pastoral, recreational, and educational benefits to the state, there must be the land base to support and grow Maine’s food and agricultural economy. The Land for Maine's Future (LMF) Program is an…
Nutrition incentive programs in Maine like MFT’s Farm Fresh Rewards and Maine Federation of Farmers’ Market’s Maine Harvest Bucks are a win for both low-income shoppers and farmers. LD 920 would provide state funding for these programs to avoid funding gaps, leverage more federal dollars, and…
Last week, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the USDA released the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The Census is conducted every five years, and provides national, state, and county-level agricultural data that informs many federal farm programs, policies, and…
Act to Establish the Fund to Support Local Fruits and Vegetables Purchasing On Tuesday, March 12th, the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry will hold a hearing on LD 920: An Act to Establish the Fund to Support…
After several months of negotiations, the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee just released a final version of the bill that includes many of MFT’s priorities to better support farmers and farmland protection in Maine. Both the Senate (87-13) and the…
Calling all farmers: We need your knowledge and ideas to shape the future of agriculture in Maine! How can state government and other service and education providers better support YOU? Please help us develop an assessment of farmer needs and…
Farmers and communities across Maine and the rest of the country have been waiting on Congress to pass a new farm bill. This bill is the vehicle that provides funding for farmland protection and access, development of local and regional…
On Saturday, September 22nd, MFT’s Policy and Research Director, Ellen Stern Griswold, participated in a policy teach-in at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)’s Common Ground Country Fair. The policy roundtable, which MFT co-sponsored with MFOGA, focused on…
Time is running out for Congress to pass a new farm bill. The current farm bill, which was passed in 2014, expires on September 30, 2018. Both the House and the Senate have passed their own versions of a new…
Andrew Marshall of Montville, Maine has been selected by MFT to serve as its next Wang Food and Farming Fellow. As a Fellow, Marshall will work for a year at the Trust conducting research activities to inform an understanding of…