Maine-grown priority

Hal Wheeler is correct (“Resolve to make Maine stronger,” BDN op-ed, Jan. 1) that Maine in recent years has suffered from a lack of focus on its economic problems. I disagree, however, with his assessment that “tourism has become, or is to become the bedrock of Maine’s economic future.”

Maine’s economic past, present and future is its natural resources. Not that tourism doesn’t pay a large part in the Maine economy, but the reason tourists come to Maine is to enjoy those natural resources.

No natural resources, no tourists. It’s that simple.

If we don’t manage these resources with sustainability as our long-term goal, we can build all the east-west highways and I-95 extensions we want, but they will serve only as quick routes for tourists (and commerce) heading for Canada.

I believe Gov.-elect John Baldacci understands this, and that his administration will be committed to making Maine’s economy grow in fiscally and environmentally sound ways. It’s understandable people might not know that, however, because the Maine press has been quite lax in its responsibility to inform citizens about what we can expect from the incoming administration. There has been little, if any, analysis of what the election of John Baldacci means to this state, or of what potential it brings. Sadly, the press seems much more interested in year-end reviews than in the future of Maine, and coverage of the new administration has, to date, consisted of publishing press releases.

In that sense, it is good to see Hal begin some detailed discussion of what the coming years will mean to us.

Beyond that, I must also comment on the assertion that Maine agriculture is an industry that is “going, going and gone.”

There has long been a debate in Maine as to whether forest products, agriculture, or tourism is the most important part of the state’s economy. It’s clear to me that in the long run agriculture has the best potential to be the leader, not only based on farm gate and processing receipts, but on the fact that both the forest products and tourism industries benefit from the wise stewardship of Maine’s farmland.

Our farms are family-owned. Each one is a small business, where the workers and the boards of directors are the same people. They operate on well-managed, privately owned land, supplying not only much of the region’s food supply, but also an ever increasing amount of fiber for the wood products industry. They pay their taxes. Most of the money they earn stays in Maine.

The potential here is so great because Maine has a number of features which make it a unique place to grow quality food.

Most of our farms are small in size, often with isolated fields protected by woodlands. These kinds of operations allow for better sanitation, and hinder cross pollination and insect migration. They encourage the use of small-scale, energy-efficient equipment – even on commodity crops. And in these days of homeland security, their isolation minimizes the chances of deliberate adulteration.

We have adequate water resources. Despite the news reports of drought last year, the majority of Maine farms were much better off than those in other parts of the Northeast and the rest of the country. And

the water is returning to Maine quicker than in some other states.

We have a strong culture of organic farming, one of the leading growth sectors in agriculture today, not just in fruits and vegetables, but in livestock, dairy and processed foods as well. In Maine, where the dairy industry is under tremendous economic pressure due to failings of the pricing structure and our nation’s trade policies, the organic milk market has been a lifesaver for a number of farms. Organic products often command a higher price than their conventional counterparts, and they are gaining shelf space daily.

There is very little genetically modified (GMO) acreage in Maine, and thus it would be relatively easy to replace that acreage with conventional crops and declare Maine a non-GMO state. If we did this, enforced our actions, and publicized our efforts, we would open ourselves up to a growing regional and national market and – for those interested in foreign trade – a welcoming European Union market.

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Maine agriculture can become more innovative. We can expand niche and specialty markets, which can produce a lot of money on a little ground. We can help commodity growers depend less on federal handouts – which are sure to dry up anyway – by finding new products and markets and providing the technical support they need to convert parts of their operations to satisfy those markets.

Profitable Maine farming in the 21st century will be more complicated, more intertwined with natural systems, and more precise than the farming that has come before. It will be less chemically, and more mechanically, based – and it will be accomplished without genetically engineered seeds.

State government has a role to play in helping Maine farmers make that transition.

While we seek ways to market our products around the world, we should not forget that our first market is our local market. Maine agriculture should be providing Maine people with food that is native, natural and nutritious. Maine should be exporting only the food it can not profitably market locally, and importing only the food it can not provide locally. We should not be encouraging farmers to subject themselves to the whims of the global market without first offering them a stable local market. Only after we have completed trade missions at Hannaford and Shaw’s should we be heading off on agricultural trade missions to the rest of this country or to foreign lands.

The best way to improve the Maine economy is for all Maine people to support Maine farms and the products they produce. Doing so will provide growth opportunities not only for new family farms but for farm-related businesses as well, many of them in rural areas of the state, where earnings can be recycled many times throughout their communities.

Sustainable farms will, in turn, continue to provide the vistas, the pastoral scenery, the open land for hunting and cross-country skiing, and the spiritual energy needed to sustain that elusive Maine way of life, all of which make up the engine which drives the tourism industry Hal Wheeler is concerned about.

Our task, therefore, is to make sure that Maine food is better food – better quality and better for you – and then market it as Maine food so that it can command a premium price because people know it comes from Maine.

Once consumers all over the world understand that Maine-produced food is top quality and safe food, all of Maine will benefit from an economy fueled by stronger and more secure Maine family farms.

David Bright is a resident of Dixmont. He can be contacted at dbright@BrightBerryFarm.com.