Farm Bureau board to meet

    FORT FAIRFIELD – The Maine Farm Bureau board of directors will hold its summer meeting in Fort Fairfield Friday, July 18 giving industry leaders from around the state an opportunity to participate in many of the activities of the Maine Potato Blossom Festival.  The board will hold its business meeting starting at 10:30 a.m. Friday morning in the Fort Fairfield Town Council Chambers, then go on a tour of several agricultural enterprises Friday afternoon, prior to attending the Industry Dinner that night.
    Maine Farm Bureau President Douglas Blackstone of Easton and Aroostook County Farm Bureau President Dan LaPointe of Van Buren are coordinating the various events.
    “The Potato Blossom Festival is always a good time for our board members from downstate to come to ‘The County’ and see it during the height of the growing season,” Blackstone said. “With our rolling hills, it’s a different view of Maine agriculture than you might see in other parts of the state.”
    LaPointe added that farmers from other parts of the state are often surprised not only at the scope of farming in Aroostook, but also the diversity.
    “Aroostook isn’t just about potatoes any more,” said LaPointe. “We’re always proud to show off our potato industry, but there is a lot of other vegetable and grain farming here, as well as livestock. We hope to give those board members on the tour a good picture of the viability of agriculture here.”
    Among the agenda items at the business meeting will be an update on a joint project between the Maine Farm Bureau and Aroostook County Farm Bureau boards of directors to help preserve farmland for future generations by increasing the profitability of Maine agriculture. This project will have the Farm Bureau members working with other non-government and government organizations, as well as consumer groups, transportation companies, and retailers, to help bring more Maine-produced goods to Maine markets.
    The project started with Aroostook County farmers looking for additional in-state markets for their goods, and searching out ways to efficiently get them to market.
    “It quickly became clear to us that this would work much better as a statewide effort,” LaPointe said, “so we went to the state organization and asked for its endorsement.”
    Blackstone said the state directors heartily endorsed the project.
    “In these days of high energy and growing concerns about food safety and security, our members understand that the demand for local produce is rising dramatically,” he said. “Maine Farm Bureau is committed to strengthening our industry though continuing efforts to provide better service and support to our members. We see this project as playing a big part in that long-term goal.”