Session Plan – Growing Power for Maine Farms
Hosted by: AGCOM and MFB at the 2026 Agricultural Trades Show
Time: January 14, 2026; 9am-11am
Location: Arnold Room, Augusta Civic Center
Description
What do you see as the main challenges that farmers face? What changes do you want to see in terms of regulation, public funding, and more? Please join the Agricultural Council of Maine and Maine Farm Bureau for an interactive dialogue with policymakers on the issues affecting Maine agriculture. Share your priorities and learn how you can get engaged.
Session objectives
o Increase farmer awareness of the current policy priorities of both AGCOM and MFB
o Hear new ideas and farmer priorities
o Invite policy members to join to strengthen political support
o Recruit new members to AGCOM and MFB
o Collect ideas from farmers and quotes to help inform advancement of policy priorities
o Cultivate a group of more engaged, informed producers interested in working across sector on shared priorities (base building to leverage for ag bond or other priorities)
Tentative Session Structure
o Farmers/producers come in and chat (10 min)
o Welcome/Introductions (30 min)
▪ Start with welcome from AGCOM and MFB leadership
▪ Make a brief call for new members, welcome attendance from producers at monthly AGCOM meetings
▪ Welcome any policymakers in the room
▪ Popcorn style: ask producers to introduce themselves and name a few of their agricultural policy priorities (some can just listen, not everyone attending has to speak…encourage folks to keep it short, we are looking for introductions and 2-3 of their priorities not an exhaustive list of everything they care about)
▪ Moderator(s) reflect back what was heard and, if applicable, outlines how it relates to priorities of AGCOM and MFB, respectively.
o Group work; break everyone into groups of 5 or so. (50 min)
Place posters around the room in advance with each poster focused on a different policy topic and soliciting feedback from farmers through *two key questions.
Topics:
▪ Drought relief/Healthy soils/climate adaptation
▪ Infrastructure and agriculture processing
▪ Farmland access and conservation
▪ Regulatory environment
▪ Health insurance
▪ Ag research, development, and extension
Questions:
▪ What challenges are you experiencing related to this topic?
▪ What policy changes would you like to see to address those challenges? (i.e. changes to federal or state laws or budget priorities or decisions made within municipal government structures)
Farmers spend 10 min at each station/poster board discussing the issue together and jotting down ideas on topic or reasons for their support (or each poster could have an agcom member there to jot down ideas and facilitate the convo a bit?) Then rotate to next subject as a group or allow folks to choose their next ‘station’?
*Have one blank poster board that says: What is missing from this list in your opinion? What else should we be talking about?
o Dot-mocracy exercise (10 min)
▪ Give participating farmers 5 colored stickers and ask them to go around the room and read the policy ideas generated in response to the question “What policy changes would you like to see to address those challenges?” Participants then use their stickers to “vote” on their top 5 favorite ideas/priorities.
▪ AGCOM and MFB can use this information to inform future conversations and priority setting processes.
o Wrap up (15 min)
▪ Wrap up session by thanking everyone for participating and passing around a sign-up sheet
▪ The sign-up sheet says says “Would you be interested in helping to make the policy environment better for Maine farms by writing an op ed or contacting your legislator? If so, please write your name, farm business, and phone number or email here. A member of AGCOM or MFB will call or email you to follow up.”
▪ Go around room and ask anyone who wants to share any takeaways for them
▪ Mention that AGCOM will be organizing a Gubernatorial Forum in early Fall 2026 and want to have input from producers on what questions are asked of gubernatorial candidates. By joining the AGCOM mailing list, producers can ensure their input is considered as this forum starts to take shape.
▪ Thank everyone for coming