New England Farmers Union was awarded two of 385 grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Development Grant program. The USDA committed $20 million in funds across the nation to help support the start-up or expansion of rural small businesses. The education foundation of the New England Farmers Union received funding for our work on … Read More
Beginning Farmers
Congratulations to Farmers Union Scholarship Winner Ellie Pendleton
New England Farmers Union Education Foundation is proud to announce its inaugural scholarship winner for 2015, Ellie Pendleton of Rockport, Maine. Ellie, a New England Farmers Union member, will be a sophomore at the University of Maine, and is pursuing a double major in animal science and education. As a freshman, she worked on the … Read More
America’s Farm Organizations Must Step Forward to Meet Demographic Challenges
GUEST BLOG POST By Roger Johnson, President, National Farmers Union Oftentimes, it’s not until life presents us with new obstacles that we reassess the situation, discover untapped resources, unused talent or new approaches that could be harnessed to meet the challenge. The lack of abundant rainfall for farming certain crops, for example, has led to … Read More
Application Period Now Open for 3 Farm Viability Grant Programs
GUEST BLOG POST: By the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is accepting applications from farmers who wish to participate in these Department programs in Fiscal Year 2016. Interested farm operators are encouraged to review these options on the web pages of the Department found at www.mass.gov/agr/ (Click on Grants and Funding Programs … Read More
Farmers Union Goes to School
Recently, New England Farmers Union attended two events at western Massachusetts high schools to talk to students about specific policy issues they can get involved in, such as GMO labeling, and to let future graduates know what kinds of careers are available in agriculture. The events presented an opportunity for Farmers Union representatives to spread the … Read More
New Dairy Training Program Brings in Beginning Farmers
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
Dairy Farmer Chelsea Kruse on Finding Farming
Chelsea Kruse delivered this talk at the National Farmers Union convention in Wichita, Kansas, in March. My name is Chelsea Kruse, I’m a member of New England Farmers Union and a student of the 2014 Beginning Farmers Institute. I grew up in a very rural and unknown corner of New Hampshire, but I have no … Read More
Maine Farmer Reflects on NFU Convention
GUEST BLOG POST By Margaret Hathaway, Ten Apple Farm When I was elected to be one of New England’s delegates to the National Farmers Union convention this March, I was honored by the trust placed in me, but unsure what to expect from the convention. Our Ten Apple Farm is on a small scale, our … Read More
Educational Opportunities Abound at Farmers Union
Do you or does someone you know plan to study agriculture this fall? Would a scholarship help? New England Farmers Union Education Foundation is offering its first $500 scholarship to a student who will study any agriculture-related field at an accredited college or university. Returning and nontraditional students are eligible. Applicants must be a member … Read More
Secretary Vilsack: $97 Million for New Programs for Farmers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced $97 million in programs to support the continued development of farmers markets, farm to school efforts and rural economies and will also expand risk management tools for specialty crops and limited-resource farmers. “Increasing market opportunities for local food producers is a sound investment in America’s rural economies, … Read More