MOFGA monitors policy developments in Congress and advocates for sensible policy that supports family farms, promotes organic production methods, defends appropriate standards in the National Organic Program, and increases consumer access to organic local foods. MOFGA works in partnership with organizations in Maine and across the country. In addition, MOFGA’s Agricultural Services staff monitors and
Our Future Is In Sustainable Agriculture First Lady Karen Baldacci has worked hard to promote Maine foods and healthful eating. She gardens and saves seeds at the Blaine House. English photo. Maine’s First Lady, Karen Baldacci, was Common Ground’s keynote speaker on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006. Russell Libby, executive director of MOFGA, introduced her, explaining
by Alice Percy Recent articles in several publications devoted to small-scale farming and homesteading have strongly criticized the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification System. Consequently many people have contacted MOFGA over the past year asking what effects the system might have on their operations and how they should respond to any attempts by the Maine
July 10, 2019 – National Sustainable Agriculture Society – Last week, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) brought in over a dozen farmers and advocates for the Coalition’s second “farmer fly-in” of 2019. Fly-in advocates from ten different states across the country came to DC to champion the federal programs important to them and their
July 25, 2020 – By Stacy Brenner, Portland Press Herald – Gov. Mills and the Legislature must consider how important food security is for all of us in Maine. More links Commentary: Supporting our farms is key to Maine’s public health, economic recovery
July 23, 2020 – By Anne Berleant, The Weekly Packet – A 2-1 margin victory on July 14 for proponents of the Blue Hill Healthy Ecosystem Ordinance was short lived after the force behind the ordinance, Rick Traub, learned that since he didn’t file the ordinance with the Maine Board of Pesticides, the 588 to
July 7, 2020 – Organic Trade Assoc., GlobNewswire – The Board of Directors of the Organic Trade Association has voted unanimously to take strong action to support the health, safety and legal standing of the nation’s farmworkers, and called for more attention to be paid to the well-being of this vital workforce that is toiling
July 6, 2020 – By Kristin Toussaint, Fast Company – Vermonters can no longer simply toss their food into trash cans. Under a new law that went into effect at the start of the month, residents are now required to compost any unfinished food—including inedible scraps like peels, egg shells, and pits—in their yard or
June 9, 2020 – By Tara Ritter and Cristel Zoebisch, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition – This is the second blog in a series that will be focusing on specific provisions included in the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) in February 2020. ARA represents the first comprehensive piece of legislation introduced
June 7, 2020 – By Benjamin Romano, The Seattle Times – As industrial polluters try to erase their greenhouse gas emissions, they plan to spend billions of dollars in the coming years on preserving and restoring forests to cancel out pollution they can’t directly eliminate with electric vehicles, energy efficiency improvements and wind and solar
