Surveys assessing pandemic damage to Maine's agriculture industry are panel topic

Courtesy / University of Maine Cooperative Extension Results of several surveys about COVID-19 pandemic impacts on Maine farmers will be dicussed July 21.

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By Staff

Results of several surveys over the past year about the pandemic's challenges for Maine farmers and agriculture service providers, and practices to help them recover, will be the topic of a July 21 panel discussion.

The surveys were done by nearly a dozen groups and government entities, including University of Maine Cooperative Extension; the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; Maine Farmland Trust, three state departments; and others. Surveys topics ranged from general issues related to the pandemic and its impact, to infrastructure needs, to a deep dive on the financial hit those in the agriculture industry took.

"Farmers and ag service providers were very kind to complete these surveys and we thought they would be interested in learning about the responses from other farmers and service providers," said Donna Coffin, UMaine Extension professor.

Surveys to be discussed include:

COVID-19 Maine Farmer Survey, by UMaine Extension and the Maine Farmer Resource Network.
How the COVID-19 Impact and Market Access Affected Maine Farmers, by MOFGA, Maine Farmland Trust, Cooperative Development Institute and Coastal Enterprises Inc.
Maine Heritage Industries Infrastructure Needs, by Maine Department of Economics and Community Development and Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
2021 Maine Farm Worker Compensation Survey, by UMaine Extension, Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association and Maine Department of Labor.

Many of the surveys were shared throughout the Maine Farm News network, made of of dozens of agriculture stakeholder groups throughout Maine. Survey results will also be shared throughout the network.

Coffin said that representatives of the groups that administered the surveys will be on had to discuss the responses and panelists will answer questions from attendees.

Findings will be discussed by a panel representing the groups, from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, July 21, via Zoom. Registration information is on the event webpage.