Ben Whalen, Co-Owner of Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham and board member of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) recently delivered testimony to the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (ACF) Committee in support of LD 2013, a bill that would provide sorely needed relief and research funding for commercial farmers whose land is contaminated Read More
farmers
Support of LD 437, An Act to Establish the Maine Healthy Soils Program
Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and distinguished members of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 437, An Act to Establish the Maine Healthy Soils Program. Improving Maine’s Soil Health: A Read More
Retired Winthrop Teacher Gleaning Excess “Bounty of Our Local Farms” for Those in Need
Stephen Knight says he’s provided more than 15,000 pounds of food to local organizations, including the Augusta Food Bank, since he began gleaning three years ago. by Jason Pafundi, staff writer Central Maine newspapers news story READFIELD — Stephen Knight picked up almost 600 pounds of Macintosh apples from the Kents Hill Orchard Wednesday morning, Read More
Proposal to Roll Back Stream Rules has Farmers, Environmentalists Rowing in Opposite Direction
The president wants to dismantle Obama-era regulations that protected streams and wetlands that feed larger bodies of water. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A Trump administration proposal to roll back controversial environmental regulations on smaller streams is eliciting cheers from some Maine farmers but jeers from conservation groups Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1534, “An Act to Address Hunger, Support Maine Farms, and Reduce Waste”
Senator Saviello, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Ryan Parker and I am the Environmental Policy Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 1534. NRCM supports the intent and language of LD Read More
Farm Leftovers to be Used to Feed 5,000 in Portland
On Oct. 7, a coalition of groups concerned about hunger will feed stew made from produce gleaned from local fields to thousands in Portland. By Meredith Goad, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story On Oct. 7, a coalition of groups concerned about hunger will feed stew made from left-behind produce to thousands in Portland. Read More
Maine Farmers’ Markets: Not Just a Summer Thing!
Let’s be honest: The easiest time to fall in love with Maine farmers’ markets is amidst the luscious towers of tomatoes and melons in August, not the coolers of meats and crates of root vegetables in January. You might not have even realized that there IS a farmers’ market near you in January! But every Read More
Stop Wasting Food! Have Your Cake, and Eat It, Too.
As a micro-scale farmer who has put a lot of effort into every vegetable, egg and pork chop I sell, I’ve often thought it an unfortunate side effect of life in the land of plenty that most of us don’t really worry about throwing away food. But we need to start. Food waste may not Read More
Potatoes Connect Aroostook County to World; Climate Change Threatens What Sets It Apart
By Corey Park, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Growing up as the grandson of a potato farmer, I learned to love and appreciate the smell of dirt. The growing season begins and ends with its scent, starting in the spring when the seed is planted and culminating in the fall when the Read More
