training the next generation of maine farmers - gsmsummit 2014, abby sadauckas
DESCRIPTION
Why plan for growth and change, when it seems so much easier to simply react? When there is a distinct and shared vision for your community - when residents, businesses and local government anticipate a sustainable town with cohesive and thriving neighborhoods - you have the power to conserve your beautiful natural spaces, enhance your existing downtown or Main Street, enable rural areas to be productive and prosperous, and save money through efficient use of existing infrastructure. This is the dollars and sense of smart growth. Success is clearly visible in Maine, from the creation of a community-built senior housing complex and health center in Fort Fairfield to conservation easements creating Forever Farms to Rockland's revitalized downtown. Communities have options. We have the power to manage our own responses to growth and change. After all, “Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.” - Richard I. Winwood And in the end, this means that our children and their children will choose to make Maine home and our economy will provide the opportunities to do so. The Summit offers you a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the transformative change in Maine that we’ve seen these gatherings produce. We encourage you to consider the value of being actively involved in growing Maine’s economy and protecting the reasons we choose to live here.TRANSCRIPT
www.mofga.org [email protected]
MOFGA’s Apprenticeship Program connects people wanting to learn organic farming with experienced farmers willing to share their expertise.
• In 2014 180 apprentices and 10 mentor farmers participated in the program
• Since 2000 a total of 1,475 new farmers have participated in the program
• Established in 1975 the Apprenticeship Program has now been modeled in 7 other states
MOFGA’s Journeyperson Program provides hands-on support, training, and mentorship for people who are serious about pursuing careers in organic farming in Maine.
Participants are awarded a 2-year package of support, including: • Mentorship
• Technical Assistance
• Educational Stipend
• MOFGA Farm Beginnings© whole-farm planning curriculum
• Discounts with FEDCO & Johnny’s Selected Seeds
• Assistance for land access & land tenure issues through partnerships with
Maine Farmland Trust and Land For Good
Program Impacts • Percentage of farmers at the Portland Farmers Market who
are current or past participants in MOFGA’s New Farmer Programs: 49%
• Percentage of Community Supported Agriculture, (CSA) Farms that are current or past participants in MOFGA’s New Farmer Programs: 50%
• Annual Economic and community development value of each new farm operation : $63,000
• Percentage of Journeyperson farms that are partly or wholly woman-owned: 68%