WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Producers/Hosts: Cheryl Wixson & Russell Libby, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association staff

Topic: Organic. What is the meaning of organic? What is organic certification? Why is it important?

Guests: Mary Yurlina, Director of MOFGA Organic Certification ; Nicolas Lindhom, Hackmatack Farm & Blueberry Hill Berry Company

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Standard Podcast [ 59:36 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producers/Hosts: Melissa White Pillsbury, Russell Libby, Andrew Marshall and Cheryl Wixson of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

Topic:  Common Ground Country Fair

What are options for getting to the fair?  What special speakers or events are happening at the fair this year?  What volunteer opportunities are there?

Guests:  Jim Ahearne, Common Ground Country Fair Director;  Mary Chamberlin, Common Ground Country Fair Volunteer

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Standard Podcast [ 59:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producers/Hosts: Russell Libby, Cheryl Wilson, Melissa White Pillsbury, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardener’s Association

Topic: Food Independence Day!

What is the history of the local food movement in Hancock County and in Maine?  What are the challenges and opportunities for eating more Maine foods year ’round?  What are you going to eat on Food Independence Day?

Guests:  Paul Volckhausen, Owner/farmer, Happytown Farm;  Cary Hansen, co-owner, Cleonice & Table Restaurants

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Standard Podcast [ 59:05 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producers/Hosts:  Andrew Marshall, Melissa White, Cheryl Wixson and Russell Libby of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic:  Intro to the new show

What local foods are available and in season?  How can they be found?  What resources are available for new and beginning farmers in Maine?  What options for local foods access are available for low-income folks?

Guest: Jo Barrett, King Hill Farm, www.kinghillfarm.org

FMI: www.mofga.org

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Standard Podcast [ 58:37 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producers/Hosts: Amy Browne & Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1: A deadline is looming for those hoping to get a public hearing on a large scale industrial wind project in Western Maine.  Today we talk with Jonathan Carter of the Forest Ecology Network, a group that vocally opposes the project.   (FMI: www.forestecologynetwork.org)  Requests for a public hearing on the Highland Wind Power Project (DP 4862) can be emailed by 2/19/10 to Marcia.Spencer-Famous@maine.gov

And we talk with Heather Spaulding of MOFGA, about LD1547, “An Act to Revise Notification Requirements for Pesticides Applications Using Aircraft and Air Carrier Equipment, which would Streamline Maine’s Pesticide Notification System.  FMI:  www. mofga.org , www.thinkfirstspraylast.org

Link to bill:  http://www.legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1547&snum=124

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Producers/Hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco and Amy Browne

Today we look at a stand Maine health care providers are taking against climate change, we hear about shifting policy on the application of industrial pesticides in the state and we look at Congressman Michaud’s TRADE Act which would reorganize US trade priorities.

1.On Monday, Governor Baldacci signed a bill which will create a statewide registry for notification of agricultural pesticide application by aerial spray or air carrier application equipment.
Guest: executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) Russel Libby discusses what the legislation does and where it has fallen short on the protection of people and organic crops from pesticide drift. FMI www.mofga.org

2.On Tuesday, 100 healthcare professionals from across the state sent Maine’s Congressional delegation a letter urging them to take decisive action to address climate change specifically the United States production of green house gases. The focus of the letter was the public health implications of climate change. We speak with Dr Lani Grahm, the co-president of the Maine Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Her organization ,as well as the Maine Medical Association have stressed their deep concern on the issue. FMI www.psr.org/chapters/maine www.cleanandhealthyme.org

3. A bill which would establish stringent standards for future free trade agreements, and the review and potential renegotiation of current free trade agreements, was introduced yesterday in Congress.
HR 3012, the “Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment” or “TRADE” Act was introduced, with 106 co-sponsors, by Maine Congressman Mike Michaud, the Chairman of the House Trade Working Group.
The TRADE Act would require adherence by country signatories to labor, environmental and human rights standards, as well as addressing the privatization of public services, intellectual property rights and procurement policies.
Even more significantly, the Act would require a review, and potential renegotiation, of a number of current trade agreements, including NAFTA, CAFTA and the World Trade Organization’s Uruguay Round agreements, based on the Act’s new trade standards.

Guest: Sarah Bigney, Maine Fair Trade Campaign www.mainefairtrade.org

Standard Podcast [ 28:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Producers/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco and Amy Browne
Topics: An update on agriculture and pesticide spraying bills, affordable housing for farmers and fishers in Washington County, the Panama Free Trade agreement
**Second audio file is the interview on housing in Washington County in it’s entirety**
Guests: Heather Spaulding, MOFGA; Logan Perkins; Anais Tomezsko, Mano en Mano; Sarah Bigney, Maine Fair Trade Campaign
FMI: www.mofga.org, www.manoenmanocenter.org, www.mainefairtrade.org

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Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Studio Engineer: Joel Mann

Guests: Russell Libby, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners, www.mofga.org; James McConnon, University of Maine Cooperative Extension; Daniel Price and Ginger McDermott, Freedom Farm, Freedom Maine; Greg Veilleaux, Bar Harbor Town Council Member, supporter of farmers market there; Keith Small, Washington-Hancock Community Agency

Topic: Farmer’s Markets Connect People and Communities to Food
What role do farmers markets play for small farmers? What role do you see farmers markets play in connecting people to local food, and why does that matter? Are farmers markets part of larger trends influencing Maine food systems?
FMI on the farmers market convention: www.downeastbiz.org click on “Farm to Market”

Standard Podcast [ 58:56 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download