Kersbergen speaks with BDN about winter farmer, producer meeting in Belfast

Rick Kersbergen, a sustainable dairy and forage systems expert with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Bangor Daily News about a gathering of farmers, food producers and others at the United Farmers Market of Maine in Belfast. The group will meet to share a meal and talk about what’s next with a panel of local experts who will share their food trend predictions, according to the article. The Feb. 10 meetup also is intended to give farmers a chance to network during the slow season. It is primarily organized by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Waldo County office, and Kersbergen said that before the potluck, there will be a forum about recycling agricultural plastic. “This is more in terms of trying to figure out what can potentially be done,” Kersbergen said. “What’s valuable and what isn’t valuable. We’d like to try and find a home for all this plastic. It’s not only expensive to get rid of, it’s also an eyesore in a lot of places. If we can find ways to reduce and reuse a lot of this material, that would be great.” He said he hopes both events, the plastics forum and the farm and food producer potluck, will be enjoyable and informative.