Union — John Piotti will speak at the Vose Library on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

His talk will focus on the Future of Farming with specific information about current projects in the community and will be followed by a discussion. He is the executive director of the Maine Farmland Trust, a statewide organization committed to protecting and preserving Maine's farmland as well as supporting the future of farming in Maine. In 2009, MFT was the recipient of the Dirigo Award for Non-Profit Excellence and one of three recipients of a Smart Growth Award from the Friends of Midcoast Maine for its work to preserve the Erickson Farm in Rockport.

Piotti has been immersed for more than 20 years in the changing faces of Maine rural and agricultural communities. He participated in the Millennium Commission on Hunger and Food Security, Maine's Farm Vitality Task Force, and the Governor's Dairy Task Force. In 2005, Piotti was one of only eight Americans awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship; he studied European models that use agriculture to advance sustainable community development.

He will be discussing the importance of protecting and nurturing Maine's agricultural future, which includes both economic and community benefits. Learn about trends in Maine farms and current and recent farmland protection projects in the region including Come Spring Farm in Union (a Georges River Land Trust project with MFT involvement) and Saving Camden Farmland for Farming initiative, a collaboration with Maine Coast Heritage Trust on preserving two Camden properties: Rokes Farm (Mechanic Street) and former Cripps Farm, now known as the Spear property (Simonton Road).

Piotti sees great opportunities for small farms to prosper in Midcoast Maine, given consumers’ ever-growing interest in buying local. “The key is to get good farm properties like Rokes into the hands of the next generation of farmers,” said Piotti in a news release.

The Vose Library is located at 392 Common Road in Union. For more information, contact the library 785-4733 or Cate Cronin, Maine Farmland Trust at 542-2665.