Maine Beef Conference program participants had the opportunity to share at least one thing they have done to add value to their farm that either increased income or reduced costs. Here are the comments shared - the number indicates how many people put it up on the board.   

Grazing Related Comments

• 6  - Rotational Grazing
• 2 - Keep herd within limits of pasture. Don't over graze
• Mob Grazing
• Solar Water System
• Keep water within 500' of pasture location

Nutrition Related Comments 

• 5 - Using a mineral mix
• Use Simon & Dana mineral mix

Cattle Management Related Comments 

• 2 - Work with cattle often to keep them calm
• 2 - Always play music. Give lots of hugs and kisses. Always safely, buts hands-on if possible
• BQA certified
• Cull
• Use quality bulls not livestock dealer auction specials

Farmer Actions

• 2 - Educate ourselves
• 2 - Recording receipts in record book
• 2 - Know your market BEFORE you breed
• Put in 3-sided building

Municipality Action

• Property tax relief for farmers

1:45 - A processor's perspective (Barry Higgins - Maple Lane Farm)

2:30 - Producer perspective (Gabe Clark - Cold Spring Ranch)

3:00 - Producer perspective (Ron Howard - Aldermere Farm)

3:30 - MBPA Annual Meeting

• Rural Tax Education Tax issues are important for agricultural operations because income and self-employment taxes are a major cost and also because more and more USDA programs are being linked to a producer's federal income tax return. A special website http://ruraltax.org/ provides farmers and ranchers, other agricultural producers and Extension educators with a source for agriculturally related income and self-employment tax information that is both current and easy to understand.
• Building the Capacity of Small Meat Processors: Successes and Lessons from North Carolina. Local meat and poultry markets rely on small processors with a range of skills and services.  NC Choices, an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems at North Carolina State University, spent two years working with a set of small processors in North Carolina, providing a range of technical assistance and support. The goal? Improve the quality and quantity of processing services available to the state's livestock producers and to enhance the economic viability of both producers and processors.  On this webinar, NC Choices and two processors who participated in the project will tell us how they did it, what they accomplished, and why it matters. Click here for webinar info.  
• Revised Land Leasing Forms Ag Lease 101 helps both land owners and land operators learn about alternative lease arrangements and includes sample written lease agreements for several alternatives. Ag Lease 101 was created by and is maintained by the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee. See their web site for more information and sample lease forms. http://aglease101.org/ 
• Order and Inventory Management How do small/mid-sized meat processors and marketers with multiple products and customers keep track of everything? Three meat companies showcase the computer systems they are using - from modifications of off-the-shelf software to a full-blown point-of-sale (POS) system - and tell us why they use them, how they work, and how much they cost. Click here for inventory management webinar archive.

• Maine Hay Directory is maintained by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to link those who have forages with those who need forages for their animals. In the coming months those who have forage to sell will be listing what they have available (hay, haylage, silage, pasture, hay stumpage), the form (large bales, small bales, etc.), where they are located, if delivery is available, etc. The listings are free, we only ask that you update your listing.) Viewing the listing is free too and it is listed by county. A note that some unscrupulous buyers will send unsuspecting farmers a check for too much for their purchase (some are from eBay, Craig's List, etc.) and ask the farmer to wire the surplus back. Be sure to check the Attorney General's Caution to Farmers for Over Payment. If you are contacted by one of these scam artists be sure to contact the AG's Consumer Protection Division at (800) 436-2131.
• How to Test Forage Quality is a new YouTube Video produced by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and features Rick Kersbergen, Extension Professor from Waldo County. Several UMaine Extension Offices have hay probes available for you to borrow to take hay samples. Contact the office nearest you to see if they have one. If not we may be able to get one to that office.