UMaine Cooperative Extension hosted its very first Maine Forage Conference on Nov. 8. This conference brought dozens of Maine farmers together to learn about the importance of forage testing, to share stories from the field and to learn about agricultural resources.
Rick Kersbergen, a former UMaine Extension professor emeritus, shared his experience of working at Extension for over 35 years.
Working for UMaine, Kersbergen was able to witness history being made, as Maine farmers continue to be leaders in the ag industry. He explained that Maine was the first state in the nation to require livestock farms to establish a certified nutrient management plan. Maine farmers “lead the way in organic milking,” he said, with currently 38% of dairy farms certified organic.
Additionally, although many farms in the state have been impacted by PFAS, Maine has been leading the way in terms of PFAS research and clean-up for years.
Kersbergen’s motto is “always keep learning.” He sees the value in expanding your horizons, attending classes and seminars and learning from your peers. Mistakes will happen along the way – just try to learn from them. When looking at a problem, Kersbergen began by “looking for the obvious.” The solution may be as simple as adjusting your soil pH, adding organic matter or needing to recalibrate your equipment.
Rick Kersbergen. Photo courtesy of UMaine
Kersbergen realized some farmers may not know how to choose the proper round bale hay or know the right questions to ask when purchasing. He taught farmers to ask about the weight and dimensions of the bale, the storage process and more, to make sure they are getting their money’s worth.
He noted that not all farmers understand how important forage is for their livestock. “Forage is the key to livestock success,” explained Kersbergen, and the digestibility of the forage is an important component. The higher the digestibility, the better, as “the more an animal can eat of that forage… the better performance that animal is gonna have.”
Overall, Kersbergen has learned “there’s never exactly a right answer for a farm.” While working at Extension, his job wasn’t telling a farmer what to do; his job was to “broaden their horizons… so they understand what the question is and have them make an informed decision” based on their farm’s needs.
Kersbergen felt “lucky enough to go through all sorts of experiences at Extension” and continues to educate farmers across the state and beyond as a retiree.
by Kelsi Devolve
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