Maine farmers to swap ideas at show

AUGUSTA – Technology, marketing and policy will take center stage this year at the state’s 65th annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show, a three-day event held Tuesday through Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center.

“Efficiency and prosperity are the focuses of the various trade associations and producer-growers this year,” Interim Agriculture Commissioner Ned Porter said Monday. “That matches the Department of Agriculture’s goals to provide the means to analyze productivity and markets and to assist farmers to meet those goals.”

As part of the trade show, the Governor’s Steering Committee on Maine’s Natural Resource-based industries will report Thursday on work done last year by the Local Agricultural Task Force, co-chaired by Charles Spies and first lady Karen Baldacci.

“It is important to encourage the increased production of food in Maine in order to decrease our reliance on out-of-state food sources while enhancing rural economic development,” Richard Barringer, co-chairman of the steering committee recently said. “Maine’s remarkably diverse and entrepreneurial farming and fishing sectors play a critical role in the economic vitality of the state.”

Leading the menu of individual workshops will be the University of Maine, which has developed hay rebaling technology that is said to promise larger profits for Maine hay producers and greater hay availability for livestock owners.

The technology allows farmers to harvest large round bales of hay, which are able to be cut and stored with minimal cost and labor. But the machinery being tested at the University’s J. Frank Witter Center allows the large bales to be rebaled into small square bales as needed, allowing for much easy handling.

James Leiby of the university and Donna Lamb, UMaine Cooperative Extension researcher, estimate that the rebaling costs considerably less than baling square bales in the field and could result in increased revenue to hay producers of about $105 an acre.

The trade show is an annual event, geared to allow the latest in news and technology to be shared by those in the agriculture industry. There are special workshops, meetings and seminars held throughout the three days. The trade show itself provides a bit of something for everyone, including the general public. From milk processing machines to colonies of bees busy making honey to sausage makers sizzling their tempting products, the latest developments and products from hundreds of vendors and producers will be lined up.

There will also be seminars held on genetic engineering, the health of Maine’s livestock and poultry, diversifying farm income, energy conservation, organic farming and marketing and the national animal identification system.

The show will begin at 9 a.m. daily and will run until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10; 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11; and 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12.

For information and a complete list of vendors and schedule of events, go to www.getrealmaine.com.