State Farm Bureau Board discusses energy costs with Rep. Michaud

July 19, 2008

For more information contact:

Rommy Haines 207-764-6464 – aroostookfb@mfx.net

or

Jon Olsen (207) 622-4111 –  jolson@mainefarmbureau.com

State Farm Bureau Board discusses energy costs with Rep. Michaud

Directors hear marketing report, commit to improved member communications

Fort Fairfield – The Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors discussed the state of the agricultural economy and the ways rising energy costs are affecting the industry when it met with Congressman Michael Michaud during its July Board of Directors meeting July 18.

Michaud told the directors that the passage of the Northern Border Economic Development Commission Act passed through a joint effort of the Maine Congressional delegation, could provide strong development help to Aroostook and other Maine counties once it is funded.

In the meantime, he said, Congress was continuing to work on issues such as truck weights and other energy-related topics. Michaud said the new administration must make the creation of a national energy policy a top priority if the country was going to balance competing energy interests. One local problem cited by the board during the discussion was the growing difficulty of dairy farmers to obtain sawdust for cattle bedding because so much of the sawdust was being used for wood pellets.

Michaud also said the delegation was working hard to expand the LIHEAP fuel assistance program.

In other business, the Board heard an update on a joint project with the Aroostook County Board of directors to build a system to help provide Farm Bureau members around the state with additional support and opportunities for marketing their products locally. The project is designed to take advantage of the increased demand in Maine for locally produced food, and to save Maine farmers, retailers and customers money by cutting down on the transportation costs involved in moving food around the country.

The Board also discussed ways to improve communications with Farm Bureau members with a revamped version of its newspaper, The Maine Farmer. Publication of the newspaper had been temporarily suspended while the Board looked at ways of more efficiently getting news out to its members. The Board agreed it would be in the best interests of the membership to keep the newspaper in production, in combination with expanded use of email and the Internet.

Following the meeting, a number of the directors and staff toured the McCain potato processing plant in Easton, then attended the Maine Potato Board industry dinner that night in Fort Fairfield.

Caption lines for photos follow:

FB_Beckwith-Michaud-LaPointe.JPG :

Maine Second District Congressman Michael Michaud (center) discusses the potential for increased local marketing opportunities for Maine farmers with Farm Preservation Committee Chairman Chip Beckwith of Fort Fairfield and Aroostook County Farm Bureau President Dan LaPointe of Van Buren, Friday prior to meeting with the Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors. The Board held its July meeting in Fort Fairfield on Friday, July 18, prior to attending the annual Potato Industry dinner. Maine Farm Bureau photo)

FB_Michaud.JPG :

Maine Second District Congressman Michael Michaud discusses federal legislation with members of the Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors on Friday, July 18. Michaud attended the July meeting of the Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors, held in Fort Fairfield. Seated at the table listening to him are Farm Bureau members Pam Harnden of Farmington (back to camera), Jim Crane of Exeter, and David Doak of Monroe. Maine Farm Bureau photo)

FB_Michaud2.JPG, Michaud3.JPG :

Maine Second District Congressman Michael Michaud discusses federal legislation with members of the Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors on Friday, July 18. Michaud attended the July meeting of the Maine Farm Bureau Board of Directors, held in Fort Fairfield. Maine Farm Bureau photo)

FB_DiscussNewspaper.JPG:

Maine Farm Bureau President Douglas Blackstone of Easton displays a flip chart with various options for a re-design of the Farm Bureau newspaper, The Maine Farmer, during the Farm Bureau Board of Directors meeting held in Fort Fairfield o Friday, July 18. Among the items on the agenda at the meeting was a discussion on ways that farm Bureau could better communicate with its members and the agricultural community as a whole. Maine Farm Bureau photo)