Press Herald interviews UMaine Extension’s Jackson on farm closures
The Portland Press Herald interviewed Tori Jackson, a program administrator with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, on farm closures across the state. The owners of Maxwell’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth announced this summer would be their final season after 51 years of business, and federal data reported nearly 600 farms closed in Maine between 2017 and 2022. Jackson said the high costs of production and labor are playing a role in the closures, as is climate change, which is creating more costs for farmers to ensure their plants survive extreme weather. However, she said farms are learning new ways to innovate and adapt.