FREEPORT

When Congresswoman Chellie Pingree asked five local women farmers about the challenges of pursuing agricultural businesses in Maine and what could be done to “make everyone more successful,” the response was diverse, but discussion lingered on financial issues at a panel discussion on Monday afternoon.

Gina Simmons, the coowner of Common Wealth Poultry and Co. in Gardiner, noted that gettomg her business started “from scratch” was challenging without being eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture grants or other loans.

“For us, there was this very large jumping-gap of wanting to get started,” she said. “And to really recover that initial investment takes a lot of time. So I would say I think there’s an incredible financial need for getting farmers started who really are committed and have a solid business plan and just don’t have high risk.”

Pingree oversees funding for the USDA as a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture member. She agreed that, even with the help of private investment companies, financially supporting Maine agriculture in sustainability, expansion or business start-up is a huge challenge.

“We shouldn’t have to find all these creative methods to make sure our enterprising farmers can do the things that we really want them to do as consumers, and as residents in a rural state,” she added.

Laura Neale, who owns Black Kettle Farm in Lyman, said that although communities are getting more interested in local food, there has been an increase of competetive farms. She noted that her Community Supported Agriculture share numbers have declined for the first time this year.

“There are so many choices now, and that’s so wonderful, but it’s really challenging as a business owner,” she said. “Now, as there’s so much momentum behind local food, we need to start looking outward. It’s all about organization and distribution, and the biggest challenge is marketing.”

Alice Percy, the owner of Treble Ridge Farm in Whitefield, echoed similar thoughts and hoped that there would be a “place for the government” to close this gap or alleviate the high risk factor of farming by supporting and protecting grant programs like Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

“It’s always going to be risky, because even with incredible business plans, you never know when you’re going to have your 2009, when it doesn’t stop raining from June 2 until Aug. 15 and the best laid plans go awry,” Percy added.

Although Pingree admitted there were cost cuts in store for programs like EQUIP, she hoped to “fight back” to continue funding.

“We are in a huge cost-cutting climate right now,” she said. “The cost cuts have been severe and that is having a real impact on the things we care about, like EQUIP which is scheduled for a cut … so those things are places where we really benefit here and we’re fighting back as hard as we can, but that’s a big challenge and that’s one of the political issues we’re trying to deal is how much funding is there, and how it’s distributed.”

Krysta Harden, deputy secretary of the USDA, said she was thankful for the input and assured that the USDA would continue to make decisions that would try to benefit all farmers.

“I really work at this making sure that we don’t pick and choose winners and losers,” she said. “We want to make sure the programs work – are flexible, are creative enough and are there for folks who need them.”

dkim@timesrecord.com

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