Gov. Mills and others kick off the beginning of Maine Dairy Month

OLD TOWN, Maine (WABI) – Governor Janet Mills proclaimed June as Maine Dairy Month. Today she, along with dairy farmers, students and others began the month with a milk toast at the University of Maine’s Witter Farm.

The gathering brought together dairy businesses, students and researchers at UMaine’s Witter Farm to celebrate and recognize the impact of the industry on the state of Maine.

Also stressing the importance of keeping the industry strong for generations to come.

“That’s vital,” answered UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “We’ve got to be able to work through 4-H, we have some students here who are still in high school and all the way up through our graduate programs where we’re able to really understand how to modernize, improve efficiency and keeping that farming industry going.”

The 4-H program through U-Maine looks to teach young students about certain fields through hands-on education.

Mariah Johnson is a current 4-H member of Franklin County. She will be attending UMaine-Farmington in the fall on a pre-vet track.

“I’ve grown up on a farm my entire life so being around the animals and caring for the animals, I just want to be able to be one step ahead and be able to care for them on a deeper level,” commented Johnson.

Johnson says there really aren’t a lot of younger Mainers looking to make a career in the farming field and she sees it firsthand with 4-H.

“It’s very sad seeing that there isn’t as many kids going in as they’re coming out and I think that’s the same with the farm and America’s growing faster and the farms are decreasing and I really think we need to get that next generation into so that we can have a future for ag,” added Johnson.

Mills spoke at the ceremony. Praising the farm for it’s robotic milking system and stressing just how critical new ideas are for improving farming and holding on to the industry.

“Open space is part of our heritage, part of our economy, part of our sense of place here in Maine. So every kind of innovation that keeps this land open and in-use and productive is valuable to us and to generations to come,” said Mills.

Witter Farm and the robotic milking machine is open for tours. Click here for more information.

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