Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X V J U LY 1 4 , 2 0 2 5 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N Central Maine Power, a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc., welcomed a lineworker apprentice class of 10 to the com- pany's training facility in Farmingdale. Apprentices who successfully complete a multi-year program while working full- time with the company will become 1st class line workers. The company also introduced a 10-week paid Union Trade Internship Program. Five students from Somerset Career and Technical Center in Skowhegan will receive hands-on training from frontline union workers in the electric utility industry. The University of Maine at Farmington announced that its Outdoor Recreation Hub of Excellence received a $50,000 donation from the Skowhegan Savings Foundation to fund scholarships for participants in Main Street Skowhegan's Career Access through National Service and Outdoor Education Program. Kennebec Behavioral Health in Waterville said it became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that will enhance the quality, accessibility and coordination of care for the nearly 6,000 clients and patients it serves each year. Bigelow Lab cuts ribbon on new ocean center Bigelow Laboratory in East Boothbay celebrated the opening of its Harold Alfond Center for Ocean Education and Innovation in late June. e $30 million, 25,000-square-foot addition allows space for a growing staff and research portfolio. Deborah Bronk, the lab's president and CEO, called the center "a launchpad for innovation and a new home for learning." She was hon- ored as a Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year in 2025. e significant expan- sion to the campus includes state-of- the-art laboratory facilities, dedicated teaching labs and classrooms, and a 300-seat forum that will become a hub for community outreach and scientific collaboration. Funding came from the Harold Alfond Foundation, other philanthropic gifts and federal fund- ing, plus a maintenance endowment contributed by an anonymous donor, which will permanently support capital repairs and equipment replacement to ensure the long-term viability of the new space. M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T B R I E F Mainebiz takes home 8 awards for editorial excellence B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f F or editorial coverage and design in 2024, Mainebiz took home eight awards – including five first-place honors – from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers at an event in Ottawa, Canada. The awards were announced June 21 in the Canadian capital, as part of the organization's three-day summer con- ference. The Norwalk, Conn.-based trade group represents dozens of business publications across North America (and one in Australia) with a combined circulation of over 1.2 million. Entries are judged by faculty at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. In the medium-sized publication category, Mainebiz Deputy Editor Renee Cordes won gold for Best Explanatory Journalism (for "Tariff turmoil"); Best Feature Single Story (for "Charms of the farm"); and Best Beat Reporting in Economics and Finance. "This reporter shows expertise in taking a national headline and bringing it home, whether it be banks wor- ried about high interest rates, or those rates fueling lots of bank mergers," the judges noted. "She also is adept at spotting trends in finance, such as local small- and medium-size companies using contract chief financial offi- cers. All in all, this entry shows skill with making complex topics explainable." Adding to his long winning streak, Mainebiz Art Director Matt Selva earned three individual awards and one team award for design. For Best Front Page — Newspaper, Selva won a gold award for "Growing Pains," published on March 4, 2024, for a cover that includes a photo by Tim Greenway. "The dramatic photograph and integrated type treatments communicate an impactful visual message," the judges noted. "Negative space is used effectively to heighten the mood and convey a sense of emotion. The illuminating headline treatment sheds light on a scientific issue. The logo and headers are bold and deliver immediate brand recognition, all while incor- porating and celebrating an anniversary in a clever manner." Selva also took first prize for Best Overall Design — Medium Tabloids, for 2024 editions published on Jan. 22 ("Back on the Clock"), May 27 ("Charms of the farm"), Dec. 2 ("CFOs on call") and Dec. 16 ("Tariff turmoil"). "This publication delivers a standout visual experience through bold, adventurous design choices and a consistently captivating cover strategy," the judges said, citing Selva's expressive use of color, sharp typography and beautifully curated photography to give each feature story strength and presence. For Best Feature Layout – Newspaper, Selva received a bronze award for "The Real Deal," a cover story published in April 2024. Selva, along with contributing photographers Tim Greenway, Fred Field and Jim Neuger, was also recognized with a bronze award for Best Use of Photography and Illustrations. Fact Book was recognized with a silver award for Best Ancillary Publication. The award cited the work of Selva as well as Editor Peter Van Allen and Director of Research Stephanie Meagher. "I'm incredibly proud to celebrate our team's excellence — congratulations to Deputy Editor Renee Cordes and Art Director Matt Selva, for each earning three awards, and to our entire publication for taking home eight honors in total," said Mainebiz Publisher Andrea Tetzlaff. Mainebiz's two sister publications — the Worcester Business Journal in Massachusetts and Hartford Business Journal in Connecticut — also received prizes. All three pub- lications are owned by New England Business Media, which is led by CEO Peter Stanton and President Tom Curtin. F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S L O C A L LY G ROW N From goat hikes to flower festivals, Maine agritourism is thriving P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R 18 More to come Maine Grains has become a catalyst for food entrepreneurs. Its biggest project is yet to come. 16 Hardiness tests Maine's farmers are adapting to a longer but more turbulent growing season. S TA R T I N G O N PA G E 1 2 Maxine, a French Alpine dairy goat at Ten Apple Farm in Gray. She's part of a herd that accompanies visitors on guided hikes. B y R e n e e C o r d e s F O C U S L O C A L LY G ROW N $9.99 May 27, 2024 VO L . X X X N O. X I I www.mainebiz.biz VO L . X X X N O. X I I M AY 2 7 , 2 0 2 4 12 L O C A L LY G ROW N D own a sloping hill in Gray behind a weatherworn farmhouse built in 1901, more than a dozen goats are scurrying around their pen like children at a playground. Nearly all have beards and rounded horns, making it hard to tell males and females apart. One pair playfully locks horns as others climb on boulders or munch on a pine branch. Taking it all in from the back of the pack is a wooly furball named Philip, a 7-year-old Romney sheep awaiting his annual haircut. e whole herd — mostly French Alpine dairy goats — are the main attraction at Ten Apple Farm, where Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz offer guided goat hikes on the 18-acre wooded property they and their three daughters call home. For short overnight stays, they rent out a three-bedroom Cape house touted on Airbnb as a "great goat getaway in southern Maine." "We started the diversified home- stead just as a lifestyle, and as it become sort of an example farm for people, we leaned into that," Hathaway says while sipping herbal tea at the family's clut- tered dining room table, one chair still decorated from her daughter's 16 th birth- day celebration the day before. "Instead of selling people something, we're selling them information…" "Providing an experience," adds her husband. Like many farms across Maine, Ten Apple Farm has found its niche in agritourism, broadly defined as any commercial activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. After honeymoon- ing at an agriturismo in Italy's north- western Piedmont region, the couple spent a year visiting goat farms across the U.S. with plans to raise their own. Over time, goat hikes with friends in Gray evolved into a business that boomed during the pandemic and has been going strong ever since. Schatz notes that while the tourism part of agritourism is new to some farm- ers, others start with hosting in mind. Regardless of the path, "you can't get into agritourism not knowing about agricul- ture, and you can't get into agritourism not knowing about hospitality." Business boom Nationwide, 28,617 agricultural busi- nesses earned an income from agritour- ism or recreational services in 2022, according to the latest census by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While the number is little changed from 28,575 in 2017, the average gross income per farm from those activities went up 32% from $33,222 in 2017 to $44,004 in 2022. In Maine, out of 7,036 total farms and ranches counted in the 2022 census, 241 or 3.4% of the total earn money from agritourism. at puts Maine among the top 10 states in terms of the proportion of farms active in agritourism, and well above the 1.4% U.S. average. While the number of Maine farms engaged in agritourism was little changed from 2017, income from those activities nearly doubled in Maine, from $6.6 million in 2017 to $12.2 mil- lion in 2022. e increase comes as the number of farms and farmland continues to dwindle. But the numbers reflect only part of the picture, since the USDA's tally excludes direct farm sales such as pick-your-own produce or wine pur- chased after a complimentary vineyard tour, as noted in a May report by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. Instead, those and recreation-related activities are counted among $172.6 million in Maine agricul- tural products sold in 2022 directly to consumers, institutions, retailers, restau- rants and food hubs. " e business landscape for Maine agriculture is changing rapidly," says Jason Entsminger, an assistant professor at the University of Maine and adviser to small businesses. "Lots of people sought to recon- nect with traditional, slow-food ways, P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R F O C U S Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway, owners of Ten Apple Farm in Gray. They are holding 2-week-olds Sorrel (left), a male, and Rhubarb, a female. B y R e n e e C o r d e s From goat hikes to flower festivals, Maine agritourism is thriving W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 M AY 2 7 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S L O C A L LY G ROW N and looked to rural areas as a refuge where they could recreate, adventure and travel," he says. "Many farms pivoted, experimenting with new ele- ments of their ventures that engaged these consumers." To maintain the momentum, "we want to ensure the rapid scaling of agri- tourism activity remains sustainable for businesses and communities." Tiptoeing into tulips Maine's evolving agritourism sector is sparking a range of business models. Offerings vary from the traditional to the innovative, spanning goat yoga and guided hikes like the ones in Gray to flower festivals and themed events. •at's giving entrepreneurial owners a supplemental, often more lucra- tive, and less labor-intensive source of income beyond growing crops or raising livestock — and bringing fresh ideas and new people to shake up one of the oldest industries. Newcomers include Jessi Chmielewski, a 2020 graduate of the University of New Hampshire who moved to Maine in 2016. She and her husband, Wayne, grow salad greens and greenhouse tulips on leased land in West Newfield as well as tulips in an Acton fruit orchard they are in the process of buying. •e couple planted all 100,000 bulbs themselves last autumn. •ere are 42 varieties in all, mixed rows of bright red, oranges, purples, yel- lows popping on a sunny late afternoon like a mini-Netherlands in York County. While Jessi is hard-pressed to pick a favorite color, her barefooted husband says, "I'm a sucker for traditional red." Chasing after their 18-month-old son Riley, the couple were days away from the start of a month-long Blossom and Bloom festival featuring you-pick tulips, music, makers' market and food trucks every weekend in May; season passes to visit the tulip field cost $23, or $86 for a family of four to six. Eventually planning to live on the farm with their growing family, Local farmers and food businesses know they can rely on CEI… ...for holistic advice, capital, support, and more! visit: ceimaine.org/farms Learn More at PORTLANDREGION.COM C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » S O U R C E : U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2017 and 2022 Census of Agricuilture data MAINE AGRICULTURE AND AGRITOURISM You can't get into agritourism not knowing about agriculture, and you can't get into agritourism not knowing about hospitality. — Karl Schatz Ten Apple Farm, Gray Italy introduced this official trademark in 2013 awarded to agriturismo businesses that meet legal standards; no such designation exists in the United States. 2017 2022 Total number of farms 7,600 7,036 Average size of farm 172 acres 174 acres Total farmland acres 1.3 million 1.2 million Income from farm-related sources $39.5 million $48.9 million Average income per farm $16.2 million $23.1 million Income from agritourism and recreational services $6.6 million $12.2 million Average agritourism income per farm $26,893 $50,427 F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S M A N U FAC T U R I N G F O C U S M A N U FA C T U R I N G P H O T O I L L U S T R AT I O N / M AT T S E LVA — P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY 21 Olympic moments How two Maine manu facturers got hired to produce parts of Team USA's ceremonial outfit. 16 The shipping news Bath Iron Works has a welloiled training program to keep up with the pace of hiring. TARIFF TURMOIL How proposed trade taxes might affect Maine manufacturers B y R e n e e C o r d e s S TA R T I N G O N PA G E 1 2 $9.99 December 16, 2024 VO L . X X X N O. X X V I I I www.mainebiz.biz VO L . X X X N O. X X V I I I D E C E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 4 12 M A N U FAC T U R I N G M aine manufacturers from craft bever- age makers to industrial suppliers are bracing for disruptions from President- elect Donald Trump's declaration of war against imports from China, Mexico and even Canada — the state's largest trade and investment partner. Trump threatened a blanket 60% tariff against China during the campaign, upping that by 10% after winning the election on a platform to put "America first." He added 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada over illegal immigration and drugs to the playbook, which would flout a regional trade accord that he negotiated during his first term. ‰e arsenal also includes 100% tariffs on the nine-nation bloc of BRICS countries (including China) should they create a currency to rival the U.S. dollar. But in his cabinet selections, the president-elect sent mixed signals. While there are trade hawks on the team, Trump picked a hedge fund manager wary of across- the-board tariffs as Treasury secretary and an old-school internationalist to run the White House economic council. ‰ose rivals are likely to duke it out over policy. While it's impossible to predict whose prices will go up and whose exports will go down if Trump makes good on his threats and countries retaliate with taxes on U.S. goods, Maine manufacturers — even ones with diversified supply chains — know it won't be business as usual over the next four years. Take ‰ree of Strong Spirits, a small Portland distillery with a growing line of ready-to-drink canned cocktails that obtains all of its materials from U.S. sup- pliers. However, since the business buys cans from a vendor in St. Louis that gets aluminum from China, co-founder Dave McConnell is bracing for higher costs if tariffs are raised. He also fears stiffer prices for other materials, as happened during the pandemic when other distill- eries which couldn't get glass from China "sucked up all the domestic glass," putting small producers like his at a disadvantage. "Subsequently, those distributors went back to buying from China, but I worry that kind of knock- on disruption is going to both reduce our availability [of supplies] and drive up costs," says McConnell, whose business is staffed by eight full-time employ- ees and six or seven part-timers. "Tariffs are such an 18th or 19th century tool to apply in a global econ- omy. It just seems nonsensical to me." Larger manufacturers on alert No matter what happens under Trump, larger manu- facturers are also bracing for a bumpy ride. ‰ey include Auburn Manufacturing Inc., a Mechanic Falls-based maker of high-performance textiles for extreme temperature protection which relies on exports for 20% of sales. Compared to last year, exports are up 35%. While the company does not import any raw materials directly, some originate in other countries. For starters, Kathie Leonard, Auburn Manufacturing's president and CEO, has questions about U.S. dealers stockpiling Chinese products similar to her company's, which would "hurt our sales in the short term." However, she adds, "my main concern is the threatened Trump tariffs on imports from our good neighbors, such as Canada and Mexico," the company's biggest export markets. S O U R C E : Observatory of Economic Complexity MAINE EXPORTS & IMPORTS (AUGUST 2024) TOP EXPORTS AI R C R AFT PAR TS : $63.7M C R U S TAC EANS : $49M LABOR ATOR Y "R EAGANTS ": $36.9M I NTEGR ATED C I R C U I TS : $17.3M KAOLI N-C OR R U GATED PAPER : $13M TOP IMPORTS R EFI NED PETROLEU M : $206M U NS PEC I FI ED C OM M ODI TI ES : $16.3M ELEC TR I C I TY: $16.2M PETROLEU M C OKE: $12.3M S AWN WOOD: $11.9M TOP EXPORT DESTINATIONS C ANADA: $162M JAPAN: $33.4M GER M ANY: $27.1M TU R KEY: $16.4M C H I NA: $14.9M TOP IMPORT ORIGINS C ANADA: $383M C H I NA: $17.7M GER M ANY: $13.1M VI ETNAM : $9.41M FI NLAND: $8.29M F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Maine's manufacturing sector represents 10% of the state's GDP and 63% of exports, according to the Manufacturers Association of Maine. TARIFF TURMOIL How proposed trade taxes might affect Maine manufacturers B y R e n e e C o r d e s W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 D E C E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S M A N U FA C T U R I N G "If that happens, their governments may retaliate by raising tariffs on U.S. products like ours," Leonard warns. "•at would force our export customers to buy from our competitors offshore, like China." Despite two anti-dumping victories against China under her belt, Leonard is unsure what else U.S. companies can do to stop the importation of heavily subsidized goods from China or elsewhere without incentives from Washington to cover the legal costs of filing such actions. "Without such incentives, few companies have the resources to go it alone," she says. "•at's what led U.S. manufacturers to offshore their production in the first place." Elsewhere in Maine, Puritan Medical Products is a Guilford-based maker of swabs for medical and research uses with around 450 employees. •e family-owned firm, which closed its Tennessee factory last year in a major restructuring, has added 100 employees this year and is seeking to fill another 50 openings, in Guilford and Pittsfield, according to Robert Shultz, the company's president and CFO. He says that Puritan gets all but 10% of its raw materials from other countries and sells mainly in the United States, which accounts for 80% to 85% of sales. With factory orders up this year, Shultz wonders what will happen if Trump's tariffs are implemented and achieve their intended goal of promoting sales of American-made goods. "How are companies going to meet that demand if everyone is already constrained with employees?" he says. "We will need a scenario plan." C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » SALES@WAREBUTLER.COM Ware-Butler will supply products to earthwork and concrete jobs, roads/ bridges/construction jobs, grow businesses, storage units, livestock farms, health centers and commercial buildings of all types, infrastructure projects such as sand-salt sheds and municipal buildings, etc. WAREBUTLER.COM CONTACT US for your non-residential and commercial construction needs statewide in Maine. Put our statewide buying power and experienced sales team to work for you! Fabric / Pipe / Culverts / Styrofoam insulation / Construction lumber Sheet goods / Millwork / Metal roofing and siding products PRODUCTS OFFERED: AND MORE! F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Kathie Leonard, president and CEO of Auburn Manufacturing Inc., cites concerns about threated Trump tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. Mainebiz won eight awards from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers for work published in 2024

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