Get in touch with MOFGA at the 2025 Agricultural Trades Show! Join us for the following slate of events:
9-10 a.m. — Coffee Hour Crop Conversation
Caleb Goossen, MOFGA Crop Specialist; Jason Lilley, University of Maine Extension; and others
Join extension, technical assistance providers, and your peers for a round table discussion on vegetable production. Bring any insect, disease, or weed management questions, or just talk about your crop production last year and plans for this year. Coffee will be provided!
10-11 a.m. — Farm Financial Readiness for Ownership Transition
Allyn Lamb, SCORE; Steve Veazey, SCORE
Content will include a heavy focus on financial analysis and assessment but will also cover components such as cash flow, record keeping, debt management, tax planning, risk mitigation, and succession planning. We will also dive into some of the benefits of achieving farm financial readiness.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Maine Organic Milk Producers Meeting
- Updates from MOFGA Certification Services on any changes to rules or processes.
- Updates from Maine Dairy Industry Association.
12-1 p.m. — Farmer Discussion Space
Open discussion
MOFGA is leaving the space open for farmers to meet and have their own discussions on whatever topics they would like to connect on. Please feel free to use this as a meeting space!
1-2 p.m. — Emerging Diseases of Concern in Tunnel Tomatoes
Alicyn Smart, UMaine Extension Plant Pathologist and Director of the Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab
Over the last four years, we have identified two new diseases in tomatoes in Maine. This presentation will cover everything you need to know about them and what else is on the horizon.
(Flip this page over for the rest of the schedule!)
2-3 p.m. — Demystifying Organic Certification and USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)
Chris Grigsby, MOFGA Certification Director; Meg Mitchell, MOFGA’s Climate Smart and Organic Transition Specialist
Join Chris Grigsby, MOFGA’s certification director, and Meg Mitchell, MOFGA’s climate smart and organic transition specialist, to learn the basics of organic certification as well as demystifying the process and requirements of becoming a certified organic producer. The USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) will also be covered. TOPP, which is part of USDA’s larger Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), aims to offer unprecedented support for farms and producers to transition to organic certification. MOFGA is a core partner in the TOPP Northeast group for Maine, through 2027, which includes a mentorship program, technical assistance and support from project partners UMaine Cooperative Extension and Maine Grain Alliance. Learn about becoming a mentor or a transitioning producer (mentee), as well as other opportunities through USDA’s OTI.
3-4 p.m. — Economic Impact Report of Organic Farming in Maine: Key Takeaways and Findings
Jed Beach, FarmSmart; Nicolas Lindholm, MOFGA
MOFGA recently completed a three-year project of assessing the economic impact of our certified organic producers, updating a report first published in 2010. New trends, data, financial benchmarks, and analysis will be shared, to highlight the opportunities and challenges that we face in the current marketplace.
4-5 p.m. — What to Expect When You’re Expecting Soil Test Results
Caleb Goossen, MOFGA Crop Specialist
Why soil test? How do you test your soil? How many samples should you take? How do you read the results and make fertilizer decisions? Join MOFGA Crop Specialist Caleb Goossen as he talks about soil fertility, soil testing, and what to do with nutrient recommendations.
Find the full Agricultural Trades Show schedule of activities, participant directory, and general information here!
