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Production, Regulation, & Equipment

Production InformationRegulations that impact agricultureWhat about farm equipment?

Homework

Information SourcesYour Own Customer Survey

How Do I Prove I’m a Farm?

Separate Checking accountBusiness cards/ letterhead/ websiteFarm association membershipsAttend farm educational meetings

Complete Agriculture CensusComplete National Agricultural Statistics Service Surveys of commodities Schedule F - IRS

Funding / Financing

Own savingsInvestorCommercial Bank

Farm Service AgencyOwnership loanOperating loanYouth loan

Small Business Administration

Revolving loan program

Business Assistance

Small Business Development Center www.mainesbdc.org/

Maine Business Workshttp://www.mainebusinessworks.org/

University of Maine Innovation Center http://www2.umaine.edu/innovation/index.html

Farm Insurance(more on insurance at our last session)

Homeowners does NOT cover farm operationsOnly three insurance companies in Maine cover farms

Farm FamilyCountry SideMaine Mutual

Employers insuranceWorkers comp

Product insuranceCrop Insurance

Contact commercial insurance agent Online resource

http://extension.umaine.edu/cropinsurance/

RiskAgrAbility

farmers with disabilitieshttp://umaine.edu/agrability/

Weatherwww.weather.comwww.weather.gov

Crop InsuranceContact commercial insurance agent Online resource

http://extension.umaine.edu/cropinsurance/

DisastersFarm Service Agency (FSA)Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Farm Land Protection

The Land for Maine's Future ProgramMaine Farmland TrustMaine FarmLink

Farmland Property Tax Program Tree Growth PropertyTax ProgramGrowSmart Maine

Estate Planning

Plan for the futureWho will run the farm when you retire or pass away?Provides for the orderly transfer of farm assets to the next generation

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Environmental Laws

ME Dept of AgNutrient ManagementCompostingIrrigation Pesticide Control

Maine DEPLand & Water UseChemical & Nutrient Management

Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W)

Endangered speciesWildlife management

USDAGood Agriculture Practices (GAP)

Agriculture Best Management Practices

Erosion & sediment controlManurePestsNutrientIrrigation

LivestockOdorInsect NoiseFarm

Right to Farm Law

Protects farmers from nuisance complaints provided they are following BMPs.

Agriculture compliance officer will investigate complaint and work with farmer to mitigate relations with neighbors and suggest changes in farm practices

Zoning

Check with your local town or cityMaine Municipal Association

Signs

Official directional signs

Maine Dept of Transportation

Categorical Farm Business Signs

Only from May 1st

to Dec. 31st

33 feet from center of road8 square feetWithin 1,000 feet of farm stand property

Maine Department of Labor

Restrictions for Minors (under 16 years of age)

Except on Family farm Tractor safety training allows youth to operate tractors (14 – 16 years)Work hours restricted during school hours

Minimum wage $7.50 / hourException

Circular A tax guide for Ag employers

Finding Labor

Career CenterMaine Staffing ServicesMOFGA ApprenticeMigrant & Immigrant Service of Maine

Written job descriptionTrain how to do farm tasksMay need to do pesticide safety training

Farm Vehicles

RegistrationFarm

InspectionRegularFarm – within 20 miles

Weight limitsSlow moving vehicles

April Maine Highlands Farmers Meeting

Off road use of fuelExempt from tax

Sales tax exemption for some farm purchases

Livestock Production Info

Livestock 101 May 14th in Waterville

http://farminmaine. wordpress.comUMaine ExtensionMaine Organic Farmers and Gardeners AssociationNew England Small Farm Institute

eXtensionSheep Goat Marketing InformationNational Pork Producers Assoc.National CattlemensAssociationOklahoma State –Breeds of LivestockInternet searches use

Site:eduSite:govSite:org

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Animal Regulations

Protection from contagious disease

Bio-security Plan for FarmFarm Veterinarian

Protection from owner abuse

Maine Animal Welfare

Licensing in MaineLivestock dealersAuctionsSlaughter housesPulling events

Slaughtering Livestock & Selling Meat

Can sell live animal without inspection

Can then be slaughtered at custom-exempt slaughter facilities if for home use only

Meat sold in Maine must be from USDA or Maine inspected plantsPoultry

On-farm slaughter for direct to consumer salesLess than 1,000 birds/yr Not many options for inspected poultry slaughter

EggsNo license or inspection if less than 3,000 birdsRegulations

Name, address and zipcodeEggs in carton must match labeled grade, size & color

Encouraged Product liability insurance

If reusing cartonsObliterate USDA shield and other info that doesn’t match eggs in carton

Must state that refrigeration is required

Must be stored and transported at 45 degrees or less

Crop Production Information

http://farminmaine. wordpress.comUMaine ExtensionNatural Resource Conservation ServiceMaine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

ATTRA eXtensionCommodity AssociationsInternet searches use

Site:eduSite:govSite:org

Pest Identification and Control

UMaine Extension Insect Pests and Plant Disease

http://umaine.edu/ipm/

Private Pesticide Applicator License

Maine Board of PesticidesOrganic Certification

MOFGA

Application - Food & Nutrition Service USDA Documents to Bangor officeEBT equipment & service provider

Terminal : on-site / off-siteManual vouchers

WIC – Dept. of Human Services & Dept. of Agriculture

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) (Food Stamps) Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

Where do I find other farms?

Maine Dept. of Ag farm listingswww.getrealmaine.com

Agriculture Trade and Commodity Associations

Maine Maple Producers Association

Promoting pure maple syrup and its value-added products. The association provides education and opportunities to exchange ideas of mutual interest to maple syrup producers. E-mail via website.

Maine Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers Association

Focuses on the improvement of vegetable and small fruit growing and marketing in Maine. The organization also provides an industry voice and representation to governmental and institutional entities.

Where do I find farm related supplies, equipment, services?

White & Yellow pagesFarm StoresFarm Auctions Classified ads

Local papersRegional papersFarm press

Ask other farmers

Uncle Henry’s Paper & online

Craigs ListeBayInternet searches

Kathy’s turn

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Sales

Wholesale, Retail, Direct to Consumer?Pick Your OwnSenior Farm Share (sign-up in January)Farmers MarketsCSAs

What About GAP?

GAP = Good Agricultural PracticesAudit Program - certifies farmers who meet specific food safety guidelines “paper trail”May be voluntary for your product or required

Direct Marketing Maine – No license needed for unprocessed fresh produce or live animals!May need mobile vendor, food processing, home food license Towns – may require

Vendors licenseHave Zoning restrictions

Contact town clerk or town manager

Taxes

State Sales TaxFood eaten off premises not taxed

Agricultural Exemption from paying sales tax

Farm equipmentSome supplies

http://www.maine.gov/revenue/forms/sales/salesforms.htm

Pricing

Can not misrepresent pricing to mislead or deceive a person

Recommended prices posted with selling unit

$0.50/lb.$1.00/ qt$0.75 each

Finding Price Information

Fruits & Vegetableshttp://www.marketnews.usda.gov/portal/fv

Livestock & Field Crophttp://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/lsmnpubs

Organicwww.mofga.org

PublicationsOrganic Price reports

Weights & Measures

Scales Sealed by state inspectorSubject to inspectionWeighing intervals not one ounce or less.

Maine Department of Agriculture

Division of Quality Assurance and Regulation

Value Added FoodsME Dept of Ag –Division of Quality Assurance & Regulations

Specialty food business (also FDA & USDA)Home Food Manufacturing (Chapter 345)Sanitary Facilities

Potable water

Mobile vendors licenseRecipe analysisProcessor License

HACCP trainingRecipe to Market

UMaine ExtensionNortheast Center for Food Entrepreneurship

Home Food ManufacturingJams, jellies, pickles, breads, muffins, maple syrup, etc.

Kitchen design & constructionEquipment & utensilsSanitary facilities & controlFood protection Labeling

License Maine Department of Agriculture Division of Quality Assurance and Regulation

Nutrient content analysis

UMaine Dept of Food Science

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Value Added - Food Processing

Product Recipe (process & ingredients)Samples (for testing)

LabelingInformation panelIngredientsNutrition info optional for some productsAllergen labelingTypes of nutrient / health claimsSell or use by date

Value Added Food Processing

Food ProcessorLicense for facilities

Low hazard foodsHigh hazard foodsMeat & poultryMilk & milk products*Eggs Maple syrup Honey

*Raw milk must follow specific guidelines. Regulated by licensing, inspecting, labeling & sampling.

Packaging & Labeling

Fresh produce not affected

Processed foods must have labels

Identity of commodityName and place of business, manufacturer, packer or distributor, batch codeNet quantity of contents

WeightMeasureCount

Natural, Health, or Native?

These terms are legally meaninglessUse at your own discretion

Food AllergensThese 8 foods account for 90 percent of allergic reactions:

MilkEggsPeanutsTree nuts (such as almonds, cashews,

walnuts)Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)SoyWheat

Allergen LabelingWhat foods are labeled? Domestic or imported packaged food is required to have a label that lists whether the product contains one of the eight allergens.What allergy information is included on the label? type of allergen; as well as any ingredient that contains a protein from the eight major food allergensWhat foods aren't labeled? Fresh produce, fresh meat

AlcoholWine and spirits

Federal license & label requirementsHighly regulatedNote: if you only produce for yourself you are not allowed to give it as a gift or consume away from your home

http://www.maine.gov/dps/liqr/index.htmlhttp://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/index.htm

Milk & Milk Products

Cheese from pasteurized milk unless agedNeed a Grade A license/Dairy Inspections – Division of Animal Health and Industry, Maine Dept of Agriculture

Contacts: Jim Bartlett (207) 287-7631Audrey Slattery (207) 287-7631

Raw Milk and Milk Products

Must follow specific guidelinesRegulated by licensing, inspection, labeling and sampling

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Crops

Fresh fruits & vegetablesBy piece -If by weight – sealed scale (oz., lbs.)If by volume – standard size (pint, quart, bushel, etc.)

Cider - pasteurizedSelling plants

Nursery licenseSeeds -FeedFertilizer

Plant Regulations-Division of Plant Industry

Protect from invasive plants and blightsMaintain plant resourceRestrict spread of regulated plants and diseases

Transportation in & out of stateLicense nurseriesLicense beekeepers/beehives

Live Plants

ShrubsTreesSeedlingsHouseplants

License & inspection

Maine Department of Agriculture-Division of Plant Industry

Forestry Production

Selling maple syrup or sapMaple syrup processing license

Firewood – D of AG, Weights and Measures – Steve Giguere 287-3841

By cord – needs to be that sizeBy truckloadBy pile

Gathered products/ Non-timber forest products – some are regulated

Honey

Apiary License Maine Department of Agriculture –Division of Plant IndustrySwarm collectors

Services

PlowingPlantingHarvestingStoragePasture

http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/

Influencing Farm PolicyHow can I influence state farm policy?

Farm BureauMOFGAAGCOMState Representatives and Senators

How can I influence federal farm policy?

American Farm BureauUS Representatives and Senators