More Mainers are getting into the farming business, particularly in the form of small organic operations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s five-year census report released this week found that the number of farms in the state rose 13% to 8,136 from 2002 to 2007, well above the national increase of 4%, according to a state press release. Maine farms generated $617 million in sales in 2007, up 33% from 2002. Organic farms posted the strongest growth, with sales surging from $4 million in 2002 to $23.3 million in 2007. A full 90% of those sales came from wholesale demand for wild blueberries, milk, vegetables and meat from family farms. Farmers who sold directly to local consumers saw a 64% increase in sales over the past five years, the press release states.
A more sobering statistic listed in the report was that Maine has lost 4,440 acres of farmland per year to development since 2002. “While [farm] sales are up, we have to be constantly vigilant about saving our farming infrastructure,” said Commissioner Seth Bradstreet of the Maine Department of Agriculture.