The Sun Journal asked at the annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show: What’s the biggest challenge and biggest reason for optimism in 2017?

“The biggest challenge: My regulations. There’s a rule for everything and you always have to be on top of every single rule and regulation. Optimism is a resurgence in American-made products, renewable products and local products, and we fit every single one of those — it’s 100 percent American-made, 100 percent American-grown.” Lindsey Rice, Bartlettyarns, Harmony

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“The biggest challenge would probably be inventory, as far as the balance of inventory. We had a really good year last year. To be optimistic for ’17, I would say the economy’s back. Everybody will be OK — us middle class, who we are and who our buyers are.” Brian Collins, Waterman Farm Machinery, Sabattus

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“The biggest reason for optimism in 2017 is that the local food movement is still growing and that it is a really great time to be a farmer in Maine. Specifically talking about cheese, Maine has the best milk and we’re making some of the best cheese in the country. I think the biggest challenge is getting consumers to understand why our prices are higher and to educate the consumer on why it’s worth paying more for their food.” Jessie Dowling, Fuzzy Udder Creamery, Whitefield, president of the Maine Cheese Guild

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“The biggest challenge is getting enough land to grow the grain that there is a demand for. There’s all these hayfields that people would like to do it with; it’s just getting it back into production. (Optimism) is for the same reason: There are people that are desperately looking for Maine-grown grains. Brewers used 15 million pounds of grain last year and that was when there was only 70 brewers. There’s probably 90 right now and they all would like to have Maine-grown grain.” Richard Roberts, Maine Grain Alliance

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“The biggest challenge is probably labor, finding help, in the maple industry. I’ve been able to hire somebody in my sugarhouse to help me. Our logistics have changed. (Now she’s able to leave her sugarhouse when someone else needs a hand), which in turn has then helped me sell more bulk syrup, more equipment. We’ve just added another piece to the puzzle to make it a little easier.” Shelley Bacon, Bacon Farm Maple Products, Sidney

 

More: ‘Awesome cheese’ and more at Maine Agricultural Trades Show