Bookmark & share: 
Welcome to reader comments forum, which is offered as
a "public square" for our audience. We view this space as our readers'
section of the Web site, separate from our journalistic offerings.
We hope you will use the forum to advance public dialogue and community
discourse. As such, we ask that participants refrain from personal
attacks and offensive comments. If you believe a comment is inappropriate or
offensive, you can bring it to our attention by clicking on the 'report
abuse' link by the comment. It will be reviewed by online staff.
Please understand that 1) a comment is not "inappropriate" solely
because you disagree with its author; and 2) there may be a delay while
the comment is being reviewed.
Please review our Reader Comment Guidelines.
Sort by: Oldest first | Newest First
mike mitchell
of portland, ME
Sep 3, 2008 9:19 PM
ANTI-LIBERAL BUSH WORST PRESIDENT EVER.report abuseBob42
of Fall River, MA
Maine, years ago canned corn and sold it everywhere. New Jersey is still a major supplier for the canned food market. Now that Asian are now drinking milk, there is a world wide milk shortage.
The USA still feeds the world.
Growth markets might be goat meat for Latin America and all of Southern Asia. Not to mention the domestic market for live goats for legal immigrants. They could feed under all the power lines that will make Maine look like a checker board.
All that Maine has now to export is Water, Wood and Wind.report abuse
Sep 3, 2008 9:15 PM
Former farm land let to go to seed, with trees and brush should be restored. If the earth is warning or not, there will be a weather changes. The West is going to have it's wet and dry cycles.
Maine, years ago canned corn and sold it everywhere. New Jersey is still a major supplier for the canned food market. Now that Asian are now drinking milk, there is a world wide milk shortage.
The USA still feeds the world.
Growth markets might be goat meat for Latin America and all of Southern Asia. Not to mention the domestic market for live goats for legal immigrants. They could feed under all the power lines that will make Maine look like a checker board.
All that Maine has now to export is Water, Wood and Wind.report abuse
John
of Leftovershoe, ME
When will idiots wake up and realize that in the long run, allowing more housing lots only increases overall taxes? Keeping the land productive or vacant is the best thing to keep taxes under control.report abuse
Sep 3, 2008 2:21 PM
My town taxes farm land and open space at a lower rate than developed properties, to preserve open sapces. But, we get a bunch of transplants who move in to town, find out about this program and are now petitioning to have it reversed so that they don't have to subsidize farmers.
When will idiots wake up and realize that in the long run, allowing more housing lots only increases overall taxes? Keeping the land productive or vacant is the best thing to keep taxes under control.report abuse
Doug
of Unity, ME
This is intended to keep farmlands as farm lands and lessen the conversion to housing projects. It is not designed to regulate cities like Portland, Augusta, or Bath. It is more for the true rural areas in Maine.
This committee will work out a plan that can be forward to the Legislature for approval = it is bi-partisan and not dominated by Democrats or Republicans!report abuse
Sep 3, 2008 1:06 PM
From what I know through farm & state involvement, they are looking into offering farm land a tax reduction like "tree farms." As well as setting up a provision for "designated open space/farm land."
This is intended to keep farmlands as farm lands and lessen the conversion to housing projects. It is not designed to regulate cities like Portland, Augusta, or Bath. It is more for the true rural areas in Maine.
This committee will work out a plan that can be forward to the Legislature for approval = it is bi-partisan and not dominated by Democrats or Republicans!report abuse
You must be a registered user of MaineToday.com to post a comment. Register or log in.
