AUGUSTA – The Maine Beef Producers Association announces that Pamela Harnden of Dryden has been hired as executive director.

Funding for the position was made possible through a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant, a Maine Department of Agriculture sponsorship and an anonymous donation.

As executive director, Harnden will serve Maine beef producers as a liaison between the association, Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension, the Maine Beef Industry Council, Aroostook Beef Producers and other organizations. Additional goals include increasing membership, serving as a resource, creating and maintaining a Web site, publishing monthly newsletters and assisting with sales and events sponsored by the association.

Harnden has a strong agricultural background. She earned her bachelor of science degree in agribusiness from the University of Maine, helped operate the family dairy farm and for the past 20 years has been involved in apple, blueberry, cut flower and vegetable production. She has been actively involved in agricultural education by providing numerous tours of her farm, serving as a presenter at Ag Day at Farmington Fair and working as a facilitator/training organizer for Maine Ag in the Classroom. She has served as a director for the Maine Small Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and Franklin County Cooperative Extension’s executive board. She is president of Franklin County Farm Bureau, chairman of Franklin County’s Soil and Water Conservation District, and chairman of Maine Farm Bureau’s Women’s/Agricultural Education Committee. She also serves on Maine Association of Conservation Districts’ board of directors and Maine Farm Bureau’s executive committee.

She can be reached at 645-2568 or harnnp@exploremaine.com.