UMaine Services Cited in Reports on Maine Agricultural Trades Show
Programs and services offered by the University of Maine and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension were mentioned in articles about the Maine Agricultural Trades Show in Augusta. The Kennebec Journal reported on a talk given by a state inspector who described how to obtain a home food processing license in order to sell homemade jellies, jams and baked goods. The inspector said acidified foods, such as salsa, pickles, dilly beans and relishes, need to have the process approved by UMaine’s Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, the article states. The Sun Journal article included quotes from Alexandra Tomaso, a business assistant at Pietree Orchard in Sweden, Maine, who is on the board of Maine AgrAbility, a program that assists farmers, loggers and fishermen with disabilities and chronic illnesses so they can remain active in production agriculture. AgrAbility is a nonprofit partnership between UMaine Extension, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England and Alpha One. “The coolest thing, I think, is [AgrAbility will] come to the farms and they do free assessments,” Tomaso said. “There are so many options that people don’t know are there. We just want to get the word out on how to stay safe and farm as long as you can.”