The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) awarded Xiuyan Zhang, a Ph.D. student with the University of Maine’s Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program, its 2024-25 Academic Scholarship. The $10,000 scholarship, awarded annually to a graduate student who is interested in research that could benefit the potato industry, will support Zhang, who is studying […]
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Augusta (August 27, 2024) – The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced today an investment in Maine’s agricultural sector of more than $600,000 in Specialty Crop Block Grant Program awards (SCBGP). This funding will help a diverse group of recipients, including the University of Maine System, North Spore, LLC, and the Maine Organic […]
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Science interviewed Andrei Alyokhin, a professor of applied entomology at the University of Maine School of Biology & Ecology, for a story about Calantha, a new pesticide to combat Colorado potato beetles. These beetles have developed a resistance to traditional pesticides over the years, but Calantha, created by GreenLight Biosciences, uses RNA interference (RNAi) to […]
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Construction of a new dairy barn has began at the J.F. Witter Research and Teaching Center, a Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) facility. This undertaking will support long-standing relationships with industry and corporate partners, increase student and faculty productivity, and provide a welcome center to thousands of visitors from the region. With these […]
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“Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King” is a regular program featuring local and national guests that aims to help keep Maine people informed about pressing issues, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King’s work. The podcast also typically airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine on the […]
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Forget the guinea pig. How about adopting a 100-pound dairy calf for your classroom mascot by joining the Adopt A Cow program? Don’t worry about finding a pen big enough to hold her. The photos and stories we’ll send you about her life on the farm will make her “come alive” for your students! The best […]
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The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) has restarted it’s publication funding program after a two-year pause. We are proud to announce that with the first cycle of 2024 funding, MAFES has supported seven peer-reviewed publications. These publications reflect the diverse research programs supported by the Experiment Station (see below). A second 2024 funding […]
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University of Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, J. Franklin Witter Farm, houses the Wyman’s Research and Innovation Center, which is spearheading research regarding the influence of climate change on Maine’s blueberry industry. Additionally, the Center houses an agroforestry demonstration site in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Northeast Climate Hub. The […]
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Warm weather means many farms across Maine will be hosting public access hours and events (check Real Maine or local farm websites for hours and details). MAFES’ Aroostook, Blueberry Hill, Highmoor, and Rogers farms will all be hosting field days and other opportunities for public access throughout the summer (see our events page for details). […]
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On Wednesday, May 10, 2024 Witter Farm welcomed 14 new heifers (female cattle that have not yet given birth). The Holstein heifers were selected from the stock available at Gold Top Farm in Knox, Maine. The lovely ladies were excited to arrive at their new home: The introduction of new stock to the Witter Farm’s […]
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