Maine Farms for the Future Program Seeks Applications for Business Plan Development

A request for a proposal announcement from the state of Maine:

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Agricultural Resource Development, is requesting farmer’s applications to Round 11 of the Maine Farms for the Future Program (FFF), Phase 1 - Business Plan Development Program.

To be eligible an applicant must own and operate a Farm Business that has been producing agricultural products commercially in the State of Maine for at least two (2) years at the time of application. The applicant must own their farmland. If having recently purchased their farmland, the applicant must have at least two years experience operating a Farm Business elsewhere in Maine.  As defined in Title 7, Chapter 36, Rules Governing the Maine Farms for the Future Program, “Farm Business means that the agricultural products grown or produced on the farm are being sold commercially and the farm has documentation of gross and net farm income, expenses, net worth and farm debt.”  Successful applicants will have from December 1, 2011 to April 30, 2013 (17 months) to complete Phase 1. 

Paper and electronic copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) packet and APPLICATION are available from:
Kimbalie Lawrence, DAFRR- ARD
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0041
Telephone: (207) 287-3491
Email:  kimbalie.lawrence@maine.gov

Enclose six (6) copies of the signed APPLICATION and one (1) copy each of  the 2009 and 2010 IRS Schedule F Tax forms, into one (1) large sealed envelope, clearly marked with your return address and labeled: "Proposal: Round 11 - Maine Farms for the Future Business Plan Development Program" should be mailed or hand-delivered to the Division of Purchases, Burton M. Cross Building, 4th Floor, 111 Sewall Street, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0009, no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, at which time and place the packets will be opened and the name of the applicant will be publicly noted and read aloud.

Stephanie R. Gilbert
Farm Viability & Farmland Protection Specialist
Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0028
Phone:  207.287.7520  
Mobile:  207.557.2036
Fax:     207.287.5576
Email: stephanie.gilbert@maine.gov