Understanding the Challenges of a Slumping Farm Economy and its Impact on Connecticut

June 6, 2016Agriculture Research, Census of Agriculture, Dairy, Farm Economics

Guest Blog Post: By Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) Agriculture in the Northeast contributes $103 billion to local economies and supports roughly 480,000 jobs across the region. But like the rest of the farm economy, producers in Connecticut have been negatively impacted by slumping commodity prices and weak demand for their products. Nationally, net farm income … Read More

Study Finds GMO Label Will Not Act as Warning Label

April 18, 2016Agriculture Research, Consumers, Food Labels, GMO, Nutrition, Product Marketing

GUEST BLOG POST By Joanna Schroeder Consumers have a right to know what’s in their food. It was this statement that began a movement that included genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling initiatives. The first such “contains GM” labeling legislation (Act Relating to the Labeling of Food Produced with Genetic Engineering) was passed by Vermont and on … Read More

Survey Will Help Define Farm-to-Institution Market

February 9, 2016Agriculture Research, Farm to Institution

New England Farmers Union is working with Farm to Institution New England (FINE) to conduct research about the regional Farm to Institution (FTI) market. The FTI market includes public and private schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and other institutions. FINE is interested in your unique perspective on marketing and selling to institutions – please take … Read More

New Dairy Training Program Brings in Beginning Farmers

April 28, 2015Agriculture Research, Beginning Farmers, Dairy, Educational Opportunities, Farming Practices, Organic Producers

Conventional dairy is in decline and the average age of dairy farmers in Maine is approaching 60. Too few young people are entering organic dairy. Meanwhile, the demand for organic milk is increasing at a dramatic rate, creating a nationwide shortage of organic milk. To address these challenges, Wolfe’s Neck Farm, an educational nonprofit farm … Read More