Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 8:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Maple Hill Farm Inn and Conference Center
11 Inn Road, Hallowell, Maine 04347 (Google Maps)
Join this action-oriented, professional networking event.
Hear from:
- Hannah Carter, Dean of University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Amanda Beale, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
- Representative Chellie Pingree (invited)
- Monique Coombs, Director of Community Programs, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
- Carl Wilson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources
Who: For service providers working with Maine’s fishing and farming communities and seeing stresses and health/wellness needs. For healthcare practitioners, land/sea worker or farmers, policymakers and/or providers with insurance, finance, healthcare, or legal expertise that can support farming and fishing communities.
What: A day to:
- Address knowledge gaps about physical and psychological health
- Create networks of care
- Share existing resources
- Find opportunities within existing structures
- Consider new policies and program
Learning ~ There will be a panel with Laura Valencia-Orozco from Maine Mobile Health; Tora Johnson from Sunrise County Economic Council; Emily Horton from Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry; Bo Dennis from Maine Organic Gardeners and Farmers Association; Tara Casmir from USM School of Nursing; moderated by Alex Redfield from Wildlands, Woodlands Farmlands & Communities and the New England Integrated Policy Partnership.
Connecting ~ Learn more about programs through roundtable discussions with other participants and representatives from Farm Credit East, Vermont Farm First, Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, The Maine Insurance Marketplace, Slicing Through the Stigma and more.
Planning ~ Contribute your expertise in a Strategic Doing process to develop plans of action in our state with short term goals of mutual interest working in small groups, facilitated by local leaders in the land and sea farming communities with guest Maria Pippidis from University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. All attendees will be invited to contribute materials and papers to the Forum Proceedings.
Registration is now open.
Please register HERE.
Deadline for registration: September 15, 2025
Cost: Sliding scale $0–$50 to defray costs of this professional development event.
After the loss of federal funds for this event, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry PFAS Fund, the Department of Marine Resources, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension graciously stepped up to financially support the majority of costs for this event. To fully fund this event and provide support for work that extends beyond today, we are offering a sliding scale fee. We recognize that not all organizations can provide funds for professional development. Still, if you are in a position to contribute something toward the event, it will help make this networking and solution-focused event a success. The link to register is here. Thank you!
A networking event to create networks of care for farmer health and wellbeing.
With support from:
