Jackson speaks with BDN about what qualifies as a farm
Tori Jackson, a professor of agriculture and natural resources with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, spoke with the Bangor Daily News for an article about the specific criteria that determine what qualifies as a farm. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Internal Revenue Service both have their own definitions of a farm and some state entities, such as universities, may also have their own, the article states. Jackson works with farmers around the state and she defines a farm as land that produces food or fiber for sale or consumption off the farm. “Homesteads are different from farms,” she said. “On a homestead, the food or fiber is grown only for the people living on that land.” When people think of a farm, Jackson said, they usually put it into one of two broad categories — the small family farm or the larger corporate factory farm. “There are very few small farms still owned by a single family in this country,” Jackson said. “It used to be such a traditional way of life.” Jackson said in Maine, however, smaller farms are on the rise with more young people becoming involved in agriculture. “With so many new and young farmers in Maine, it’s an exciting time for agriculture in the state,” Jackson said.