If you’re a local farmer, please prepare to speak your mind. Your opinions on what the future of Maine agriculture should be are kindly requested at a half-dozen upcoming meetings, including one in Lisbon Falls this Thursday morning.

A group of agricultural organizations and institutions, including UMaine Cooperative Extension, AGCOM (the Agricultural Council of Maine) and Maine Farmland Trust are seeking input from farmers. They want to know what farmers need and want and in what order.

“This is a huge and collective effort to get farmer voices to the table and has the potential to be a game changer,” said Nanne Kennedy, who is part of Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society, another participating group.

In addition to the Thursday meeting in Lisbon Falls, farmer engagement sessions will also be held at University of Maine Cooperative Extension offices in Falmouth (Dec. 11), Presque Isle (Jan. 8), Waldoboro (Jan. 10) and at the Agricultural Trades Show in Augusta (Jan. 16 and 17).

— MARY POLS

WHAT: Farmer engagement sessions to help shape the future of agriculture in Maine

WHEN: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday

WHERE: UMaine Cooperative Extension offices, 24 Main St., Lisbon Falls

HOW: The sessions are being coordinated by AGCOM, CEI, Cooperative Extension, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Food Strategy, MOFGA, and Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society. No need to RSVP, but for more information email maineagneeds@gmail.com or, if you’re reading this online, visit this Google document for the full schedule.

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