UMaine Extension included in WAGM ‘Harvest Happenings’ segments
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension was mentioned in “Harvest Happenings” segments on WAGM (Channel 8 in Presque Isle). Steve Johnson, a crops specialist with UMaine Extension, was interviewed for “Harvest Happenings Part 10: Late Blight.” Johnson said late blight has been responsible for Aroostook County losing 5 to 10 percent of the potato crop in years past, as well as subsequent storage losses and quality reductions. He said the disease starts with an organism that’s classified as an algae that causes infections in potato foliage and in the tubers themselves, according to the report. “Harvest Happenings Part 12: Preparing Young People” focused on the sustainable agriculture concentration at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The concentration is part of UMPI’s Environmental Science and Sustainability program which collaborates with UMaine Extension to provide students with the business skills they need to become a member of the local agriculture community, according to the report.