Wolfe’s Neck FarmOrganic Dairy Research and

Farmer Training ProgramFreeport, ME

Program VisionTo develop and operate an

environmentally and economically

sustainable Organic Dairy program

that is used to effectively train new

organic dairy farmers to run their

operations, assists them with

accessing capital and land to get

started on their own, and advances

research on pasture and forage

management in a way that makes

practical information about strategies

for improving pasture and forages

available to the organic dairy

community in the Northeast and

supports improved farm viability.

Need

• A dramatic loss of working dairy farms• The associated negative economic impact• The need for a new and profitable dairy model• The lack of an effective organic dairy training program• No pasture-based training farm with residence• Significant growth in demand for organic dairy products including

grass-milk products• Currently there are 60 organic dairy farms in ME

Desired Outcomes

• 15 new organic dairy farmers in first 10 years. This would represent a 25% increase of Organic dairy farmers in Maine.

• Inform and support existing Organic dairy farmers through demonstration, research and experimentation.

• Establish a premier pasture-based demonstration, research and training facility in the Northeast.

• Serve as a Statewide and Regional site for convening the Organic Dairy industry.

Farmer Training/Apprenticeship

• Four trainees arrive each year for a 2-year Apprenticeship under the tutelage of a Master Grazier and a team of support staff and industry professionals

• Hands on training focuses on management, stockmanship, grazing, forages, business planning and transition planning including access to land and capital

• Program is offered in partnership with WI-based Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship – and accredited by the U.S. Department of Labor

Timeline – Current Snapshot2015

Build herd (with a goal of a 60-head milking herd by June 2016)

Launched partnership with WI-based Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship

First cohort of Apprentices begins during summer/fall

Imported N. America’s first mobile milking parlor

Began shipping milk to Stonyfield in mid-September

Develop initial research agenda

2016

Second cohort of four Apprentices begins

Herd reaches 60-head

2017

First Four Apprentices transition out of

program and begin new farm businesses

Financial Overview• Total Cost to build, launch and support operation

until breakeven (year 3) - $2,700,000• Total secured to-date - $1,918,050• Total Need Remaining- $781,000

• Major funders/supporters to-date include:Stonyfield, Danone Ecosystem Fund and Sewall Foundation

Farmer and Technical Advisory BoardVaughn Chase

Chase’s Organic Dairy, Mapleton, ME

Dorn Cox

Farmer and Executive Director, Greenstart New Hampshire

 

Timothy Griffin

Director – Agriculture Food and Environment Program, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

 

Henry Hardy

Hardy Farm, Farmington, ME

 

Gray Harris

Director, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, CEI

 

Doug Hartkopf

Hart-to-Hart Farm, Albion, ME.

 

Jennifer Hashley

Director, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

 

Rick Kersbergen

Extension Professor, Sustainable Dairy and Forage Systems, UMaine Cooperative Extension

Andrew Marshall

Education and Field Director, Land For Good

 

Britt Lundgren

Director of Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, Stonyfield

Sonja-Heck-Merlin

Clovercrest Farm, Charleston, ME

John Piotti

President, Maine Farmland Trust

 

Abby Sadauckas

Young Farmer and Sail Freight Coordinator, Greenhorns

 

Kyle Thygesen

Farmer Relationship Manager, Stonyfield

Gregg Varney

Nezinscot Farm, Turner, ME

Katie Webb

MOFGA Certification Services Dairy Specialist

 

Kristi White

Sayer Family Farm

 

Fiona Wilson

Assistant Professor of Strategy, Sustainability, and Social Entrepreneurship, UNH