RobertNesbitt4810

=Maine Leads The Way Organically=

By: Robert Nesbitt robbie_nesbitt@hotmail.com

MAINE-** Going Organic seems to be the trend in most households, but according to a report done by the Wall Street Journal not many American farmers are picking up on the trend. A story that ran on their website earlier this year read, “Fewer Than 1% of U.S. Farms Are Organic, USDA Says.” A 22 year study done by scientists Paul Mader and David Dubois compared organic farming to conventional farming and found that organic farming has several benefits. They found that organic farming improves soil fertility, reduces soil erosion, retains more water in soil during drought years, lowers carbon dioxide emissions, and several other benefits. But with these solutions comes certain steps. Some say turning to more sustainable agriculture by using these strategies is idealistic but cannot work. In order for Maine farmers to be considered organic they must prove that they have not used any inorganic harmful pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers for three consecutive years, according to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association(MOFGA). The MOFGA’s guidelines are quite risky for farmers and can be a costly one if they find that their crops don’t respond well without these pesticides. But even with these risks Maine is still leading the way when it comes to Organic farming. This is what The Environmental Policy Group in the Environmental Studies Program at Colby College found out during their 2007 report on organic farming in Maine. According to their study there are currently 380 certified organic farms in Maine. In 2007, Maine had the second highest percentage of certified organic farms out of its total in the nation. The national average of organic farms is 0.76 percent. Maine’s average far surpasses that with 3.6 percent. That number comes in a close second to our close neighbor Vermont, who holds the highest percentage of organic farms in the country.  Maine is leading the way organically, and according to our first lady, Karen Baldacci this kind of agriculture is where our future in farming is. “Maine is about all farms, big and small, we all need each other,” said Baldacci in a speech she gave as Common Ground’s keynote speaker back in 2006. She believes that the MOFGA helps link farms to people in their communities, and is discovering that there is also a link between farms and schools. “This beneficial relationship helps farms sustain economic viability and provides members with high quality, local produce.”
 * [[image:img_39591.jpg width="256" height="192" caption="Photo Courtesy of naturallygrown.ca"]]