Maine’s Farms and Farmland: The Foundation of a Rural Future

Abstract

Maine’s farmland and the people who steward it are at risk. Rising land costs, the accelerating loss of productive acreage, an aging farming population, and the increasing challenges of turning a profit threaten our rural communities in ways that ripple far beyond the farm gate (USDA NASS 2024a). If we want to keep Maine’s working lands working, we must see farmland protection and farm business viability as two sides of the same coin. This is not just about conserving open space. It is about ensuring that farmers today and in the next generation can afford to farm, build resilient businesses, and create jobs and economic activity that benefit all Mainers.