January 6, 2022
Your Monthly News & Updates
News and events for the Maine Beef Producers from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Beef Producers Association and other agricultural organizations in Maine.
What's New?
  • Maine Beef Producers Association Annual Meeting Going All Virtual
  • Beef Educational Sessions at the MBPA Annual Meeting & Trades Show
  • Helpful Maine Agricultural Trades Show Resources: A Click Away
  • Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program
  • Survey Request
  • Upcoming Events
  • Maine Beef Producers Association Membership
  • National Beef Prices
  • Items of Interest
  • Newsletter Subscription Information
  • Mission of Newsletter and Quick Links
Maine Beef Producers Association
Annual Meeting will be all virtual!!!
MBPA logo 2-16
Annual Meeting of the Maine Beef Producers Association
Friday, January 7th
2 pm - virtual only

The MBPA will hold their annual meeting on January 7th at 2 pm. You may request the Zoom link from info@mainebeefproducersassociation.com

Agenda:
2 pm – PFAS information for beef producers
  • Nancy McBrady, MDACF Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources
  • Andy Smith, ME CDC
  • Dr. Michele Walsh, ME State Veterinarian
  • Rick Kersbergen, UMaine Cooperative Extension
2:50 – Selection of the right cuts & proper grinding for the best ground beef plus 2 new Meatball recipes
  • Chef Rob Dumas CEC, UMaine School of Food and Agriculture
3:15 – Building and utilizing a home smokehouse
  • Dr. Colt Knight, Livestock Specialist, UMaine Cooperative Extension
3:45 – MBPA Annual Meeting. Followed by MBPA Board meeting


January 10 - 14, 2022
Dozens of businesses and organizations are available to help your farm, agricultural and land management needs at any stage.
  • Find the tools, supplies and equipment for year-round success.
  • Connect with member organizations - for networking and volunteer support!
Save Useful Contacts

One-on-one advising available at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show

There's still time to sign up for complimentary business advising during the online Maine Agricultural Trades Show. This is a useful way to have your own meeting to speak one-on-one with people ready to listen to questions—more than a dozen topics!
Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program (AIIP)
white barn with red doors
Agricultural Infrastructure Investment Program (AIIP) is a great opportunity to improve your beef facilities and operation.


Additional Resources:

Tuesday 1/11/22 at 12PM Overview of AIIP Free Webinar. The recording of the webinar will be sent to all registrants as well as posted to the CEI website.
26th annual Vermont Grazing and Livestock
January 20-22

Farms will have an opportunity to learn about farmer profitability, grazing rented land, how to best communicate with employees and related topics at the 26th annual Vermont Grazing and Livestock Conference, January 20-22.

The virtual conference will address the theme, “Grazing as the Roots of a Thriving Community and Healthy World,” focusing on topics specific to raising pasture-based livestock in the Northeast and social sustainability. It is co-hosted by the Vermont Grass Farmers Association (VGFA) and the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture and will run from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day.

Registration is $20 for VGFA members (up to six tickets per farm) and on a sliding scale up to $40 for non-members. To register or to view the complete agenda, go to https://2022_vtglc.eventbrite.com. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, please contact Cheryl Herrick at clherric@uvm.edu by January 6.
Survey Request - Impact of Stress on Farmers

Hi! My name is Izzy Ruffin, and I am a current graduate student in the Peace and Reconciliation program at the University of Maine at Orono. I have been farming full time since 2016 and currently work at Winter Hill Farm, a small, diversified dairy farm in Freeport, Maine and Lost & Found Farm, a blueberry and flower farm, in Dresden and Gray, Maine.

I am currently writing a research paper for a Mediation: Premise, Practice and Policy class on the cumulative impact of stress on Maine farmers and how the impact of that stress can and should be addressed. This short anonymous survey, intended for farmers, will take no more than 5 minutes. The survey is intended for anyone farming in Maine, not just farm owners or managers. The results of this survey will serve as supplemental evidence to substantial research on stress and stress management in the field of agriculture and point to existing resources that are already available for free to Maine farmers through organizations like the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. With any hope, the paper will be officially published by the University of Maine in the Spring.

You can find the link to the survey here. Feel free to share it with other farmers you know. Thank you for your time!

From one farmer to another,
Izzy
Upcoming Events

The MBPA website has information about the association, the board of directors, and forms for awards, activities, and sales.

You can join the association online and pay by credit card on a secure site or by mailing the information to Sally Caverly by either printing off the form from the website, or completing the pdf version of the form and mailing to her at 1457 River Rd., Clinton, ME.

Members have the opportunity to have their farm listed with a photo, description of their farm, and a link to their own farm website. You can add this information when you join or send the information and digital photo to Russ Florenz at info@mainebeefproducersassociation.com

National Beef Prices

USDA Ag Marketing Service publishes beef cattle prices for a number of locations throughout the US.
This report shows the Weekly average steer price for this year, last year and the 5-year average. Get the full pdf of this National Weekly Cattle and Beef Summary.

National Monthly Grass Feb Beef Report - includes wholesale and retail (direct to consumer) prices of cuts of meat as well as small and very small producer carcass prices (wholesale $3.85/# - direct to consumer $7.51/# to $9.30/#.) Also includes grazing fees per AUM for 17 state survey ($21/AUM.)
Vermont Monthly Local Beef Report - includes carcass prices as well as retail prices (direct to consumer) per cut for locally raised beef
Items of Interest
Grants & Loans
Equipment, supplies, etc.
  • No-Till Drill available to Maine Grass Farmers Network members.
  • Maine Hay Directory - is available to help farmers with hay to sell and farmers looking for hay to buy. Be cautious of hay scams. FARMERS WITH HAY AVAILABLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO UPDATE THEIR LISTING NOW. Either call (207) 342-5971, email billiejo.pendleton@maine.edu, or mail updates to Waldo County Extension Office, 992 Waterville Rd, Belfast, ME 04915.
Agriculture Jobs
Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association. 
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2021 year. Annual dues are $35. For an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application and online payment go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com

The Maine Beef Producers Association has a Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association. Facebook
Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 730 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension since 2011. As of January 1, 2015, the MBN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There will still be four ways to receive the MBN from UMaine Extension:
1) Maine Beef Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at http://bit.ly/PPfarming If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. If you are interested in subscribing send a $15 check made out to UMaine Extension to Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426. 
 3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter. 
4) Maine Beef Producers Association members who do not have an email on file will receive a printed copy of the newsletter as a benefit of their membership. 
      We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with your family and friends.
   Thank you for your continued support of the MBN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for beef producers and those interested in the beef industry in Maine since 2011.
Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.

Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
Local Weather Anytime
 
Many farming activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about rain predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at http://www.weather.gov/car/.




Need Pesticide Credits

Need Pesticide credits?  Check out the Maine Board of Pesticide credit calendar.  Many approved pesticide applicator re-certification programs are listed. 

Contributors 
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator

Colt Knight, Extension Specialist

Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in central Maine.

The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
 
Photos: Donna Coffin unless indicated otherwise.
Penobscot County Office - website 
Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485

Piscataquis County Office - website 
Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm - Closed Tuesday 
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491