The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has named the 12 recipients of the 2023 Maine Farms for the Future (FFF) Program.

The farms were awarded technical assistance and $6,000 in business development funding through Phase 1 of the program. Three farms were approved for Phase 2 and have been awarded a $25,000 cash grant and the opportunity for a subsidized 2% interest rate loan to be borrowed from DACF’s Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund.

FFF is a long-standing grant program intended to support agricultural businesses. Since its inception in 2000 by the 119th Legislature, more than 200 farms have benefited from tailored technical, planning and financial assistance.

FFF intends to help implement business plans written to improve business operations and profitability. More than $2 million has been distributed through FFF, enabling infrastructure, equipment, market development, and business and strategic planning investments, according to a news release from Jim Britt at the Augusta-based department.

“Each year, the Farms for the Future program provides valuable support to a cohort of Maine farms, from business planning to budget forecasting, putting each participating farm on more solid footing as they contemplate the future of their business,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. “I am excited for the farms selected to participate in the program in 2023 to receive tailored technical assistance to match their needs.”

This year’s selected farms are in eight counties and produce vegetables, milk, goat dairy products, cut flowers, pork and fruit.

FFF Phase 1 selections

• Buckle Farm — Unity
• Calyx Farm — Morrill
• Conant Acres — Canton
• Dandy Ram Farm — Monroe
• Hall Brook Farm — Thorndike
• Sheepscot General — Whitefield
• Six River Farm — Bowdoinham
• Springtide Seaweed — Gouldsboro
• Three Charm Farm — Alfred

FFF Phase 2 selections

• Dogpatch Farm — Washington Plan: Expanding on-farm charcuterie production and pork processing capacity;

• Little Ridge Farm — Lisbon Falls Plan: Development of a multi-use agricultural space to improve wash/pack processes and create deeper community connections; and

• Tender Soles Farm — Richmond Plan: Constructing a new storage and processing facility to increase farm revenue.

Applications for 2024 FFF grants will open in the fall.

For more information, visit maine.gov/dacf or contact program coordinator Alex Redfield at alexander.redfield@maine.gov or 207-592-0640.

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