The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) today announced $3 million in new PFAS Fund research grants to support Maine farms impacted by PFAS. While the vast majority of Maine farms are not impacted, DACF is currently working with 127 sites, ranging from small properties to large, diversified farms, to provide testing, financial assistance, research, and technical support that help farmers make informed decisions and continue operating safely.

Over the past five years, DACF has built robust programs of testing, expert guidance, and financial assistance to ensure safe food and continued farm operations on properties impacted by PFAS contamination. Most contamination stems from the historic use of wastewater sludge as an abundant, low-cost fertilizer, a practice banned in Maine in 2022. The presence of PFAS on agricultural land raises questions about how PFAS circulate through soil, water, plants, and animals; where PFAS accumulate within plants, animals, and animal products; and what management practices can be adopted to protect food safety and worker health. The PFAS Fund research grant program was established to help answer these questions.

DACF awarded a first round of research grants in Spring 2025 to fund projects investigating topics ranging from the use of biochar to immobilize PFAS to bioaccumulation and depuration in dairy sheep and understanding and managing the transfer of PFAS from soils to poultry and eggs.

 ā€œThese new grants expand and accelerate agricultural PFAS research,ā€ said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. ā€œThe results will help impacted farmers in Maine and across the country make informed decisions so they can continue to operate and thrive.ā€

For this round of applications, the PFAS Fund invited two categories of proposals: major grants focused on a broad set of research priorities to be carried out over two years, and targeted grants focused on narrower research questions that can be investigated over a shorter period. The Fund received a total of 31 grant applications requesting over $11 million. The application selection process was highly competitive. Each proposal was evaluated by a team of peer reviewers drawn from academia, State and Federal agencies, and the private sector.

The nine selected projects will focus on:

• Improving soil tests;
• Understanding plant, animal, and pollinator uptake of PFAS;
• Impact of PFAS on animal and pollinator health;
• Advancing predictive modeling of soil to livestock pathways;
• Whether plant uptake and PFAS leaching can be reduced through biochar;
• Possibilities for alternate crop production.

Full project descriptions are available at .

Major Grants, Round 2

Philip Fanning, 91±¬ĮĻ
PFAS Bioaccumulation in Floral Rewards: Evaluating the Consequences for Bee Pollinators and the Environment, $489,719

Investigating the consequences of PFAS for bees by evaluating the presence of PFAS in bee-collected pollen, identifying flowering plants associated with higher PFAS concentrations, and characterizing pollinator-specific responses to PFAS exposure.

Jessica Cristina Lemos Motta, 91±¬ĮĻ
Assessing the Effects of PFAS Contamination on Reproductive Function and Embryo Development in Livestock, $499,615

Studying how PFAS exposure affects female reproduction in sheep to help understand how PFAS disrupts fertility and embryo development in livestock.

Media contact: Jim Britt

Last week our senior and national team placed 3rd behind Texas A&M University and Penn State University, two extremely competitive programs. Retired School of Food and Agriculture Professor of Animal and Veterinary Science, Dr. Dave Marcinskowski noted “Only twice before since 1998 has our national team placed third never higher.”

Dairy Challenge began in 2002 with the goal to develop tomorrowā€™s dairy leaders and enhance
progress of the dairy industry, by providing education, communication and networking among
students, producers, and agribusiness and university personnel. Every year students from across
the U.S. and Canada gather to apply their dairy knowledge skills, and the 91±¬ĮĻ
has been participating in this contest since its inception.

This year the contest was held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with 282 student participants from
42 Universities across the U.S. and Canada. Representing 91±¬ĮĻ at the contest were Amanda
Allan majoring in Zoology, Cece Desautell, Felicity Gregware, Makayla Dingle, Opal
Beauchesne, and Riley McAllaster, majoring in Animal and Veterinary Sciences. In order to
prepare for this contest the students met weekly over the past year and reviewed dairy farm
benchmarks, learned how to interpret dairy records, and conducted a ā€œmock challengeā€. During
this ā€œmock challengeā€ held in Deering Hall this past March 2026, the students evaluated a local
alumnus dairy farm, Taylor Dairy, and prepared a presentation with recommendations which was
presented to a panel of judges who were industry experts. This mock challenge emulated the
dairy challenge contest the students would participate in once in Sioux Falls.

At the contest held in South Dakota, juniors Makayla Dingle and Opal Beauchesne participated
in the Academy learning experience, while the seniors participated in the National Contest.
There were 4 dairy farms to evaluate, and this year 91±¬ĮĻ evaluated dairy farm B and
competed against 8 other Universities. Amanda, Cece, Felicity, and Riley each applied their
teamwork and expertise to evaluate a very well-managed 6,000 dairy herd that produced on
average 79 lbs of milk per cow per day and 5.5 lbs/cow/day of fat plus protein. The 4 91±¬ĮĻ
students put the dairy knowledge that they have learned from 91±¬ĮĻ professors, the staff and
cows at Witter Center, their peers and Maine dairy farmers to the test. The students were able to
earn 3rd place among the 8 teams that evaluated dairy farm B.

The 91±¬ĮĻ students were coached by Dr. Glenda Pereira, however, various members helped prepare and travel with the students including Dr. Dave Marcinkowski, Dr. Jessica Motta and Ethan Robertson. The students fundraised in order to travel to South Dakota and are thankful for the support from the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, cow level sponsors Phoenix Feeds of Maine, Poulin Grain, as well as calf level sponsors Cabot, and Jason Johnson.

Congratulations to the students for their success at the 2026 North American Intercollegiate
Dairy Challenge.

Story by Glenda Pereira, Associate Professor of Animal Science and Extension Dairy Specialist

Contact: Glenda Pereira, 207.581.3240; glenda.pereira@maine.edu

The first thing the students noticed at the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center was the smell ā€” fresh hay and something earthier, followed by the low hum of cows shifting in their stalls. Then came hesitation and, finally, curiosity, as small hands reached out to touch an animal many had only seen in books.

Dawna Kulakowski teaches first through third grade in Troy, Maine. For her, moments like this are the point.

ā€œI think itā€™s important for kids in these grades to come to the farm and learn about agriculture here at the university, because they have a lot of this out in their own communities, and they might be interested in a career in this area in the future,ā€ Kulakowski said. ā€œI think a lot of these kids like hands-on learning to experience things in the real world.ā€

Public access is central to operations at Witter Farm in Old Town. It welcomes K-12 students, community residents, university groups and professional organizations to meet the animals, learn about the research and contribute to Maineā€™s agricultural industry.

On a cool March day, students from Troy Central School, including those in Kulakowskiā€™s class, traded their desks for a behind-the-scenes look at a working agricultural operation just outside 91±¬ĮĻā€™s campus.

Trotting horses, mooing cows and fresh hay greeted the group as their chatter and laughter filled the barns. The visit connected Maineā€™s traditional classroom education with the stateā€™s agricultural industry ā€” one that relies on a new generation to sustain it.

Guiding them through the barns were 91±¬ĮĻ student workers, who balance coursework with leading tours and completing their daily responsibilities on the farm ā€” an example of the universityā€™s learner-centered approach as an R1 research institution.

Their work gives visiting students a peer-led introduction to agriculture while reinforcing their own hands-on education.

ā€œAs part of the class, students come in during their sophomore year and start working on the farm doing all kinds of things. The highlight, though, is when they are assigned to a pregnant female cow,ā€ said Chelsea Carr, livestock operations manager. ā€œThey get to be here for the birthing as part of their grade, and once the calf arrives, they get to name it as a group.ā€ 

The Witter Center houses multiple operations, including Witter Farm, and serves as a hub for animal sciences and sustainable agriculture. As a primary facility for the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, it integrates hands-on undergraduate and graduate education with high-level research.

The farm houses 78 animals and regularly welcomes school groups that engage directly with the animals and learn where their food comes from.

Many students also connect with the farm beyond their visit through the ā€œAdopt a Cowā€ program, a Discover Dairy and New England Dairy joint initiative that features Witter Farm as one of several participating farms across New England.

ā€œEvery farm puts up two calves that get adopted by classrooms. I believe last year we were adopted by 600 classrooms of kindergarteners, and the adopted cows that we have this year are Darling and Doris. Iā€™m sure that most of the tours on my schedule are here to see them,ā€ Carr said.

Through this yearlong virtual initiative, educators can bring the world of farm life into their classrooms. By adopting a calf from a New England dairy farm, students can follow a specific calfā€™s development over the course of the school year. This immersive experience is supported by complimentary educational materials from Discover Dairy, helping students understand dairy farming and how milk reaches their tables.

ā€œWe send updates, photos and videos of our adopted calves to Discovery Dairy, who then shares this information with the participating classrooms that have adopted our calves,ā€ said Patricia Henderson, Witter Farmā€™s superintendent.

Beyond traditional farm work, Witter Farm reflects the modernization of agriculture through its robotic milking barn.

ā€œWe put in the VMS300, a voluntary milking system, about a year ago in March. Itā€™s a robot that milks the cows without people having to do it. The cows can come in whenever they want, and the robot will milk them, clean the teats and collect a whole bunch of data for us,ā€ Henderson said.

The farmā€™s openness is intentional. Leaders say inviting the public in and encouraging questions helps challenge misconceptions about agriculture.

ā€œI think thereā€™s a lot of stigma behind dairy farming, so opening our tours to any and all questions is important for opening farms like this to the public and growing their knowledge of our industry,ā€ said Riley McAllaster, a senior in the animal and veterinary science program with a pre-veterinary concentration.

That effort is tied to a broader concern: fewer people are entering the agricultural workforce.

ā€œI hope these tours spark an interest in agriculture for these kids. With our new technology, like the robot barn, I hope people will understand that this is a modern, informing industry,ā€ Carr said. ā€œI want more people to be aware of the many agricultural jobs beyond working as a farmer, including research roles. Renewable farming is a growing industry, and it is full of jobs that need to be filled, and I hope these kids realize these opportunities early on.ā€

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

As the May 1 college decision deadline approaches, students are showing increased interest in academic programs with clear career pathways.

At the 91±¬ĮĻ, that trend is evident across disciplines tied to growing sectors of the U.S. economy, including engineering, health care and biomedical sciences, business, natural resources and environmental sciences, agriculture and food systems, communication sciences and disorders, and biotechnology.

University data highlight several indicators of that demand:

• Mechanical engineering enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade, with a 95% student satisfaction rate.
• The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program reports that 95% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school, with 82% working in natural resource fields.
• The Maine Business School, which will enroll 330 first-year students, filled nearly half of those seats before April and reports a 94% positive outcome rate.
• In animal and veterinary sciences, about 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school.
• Health-related fields tied to several majors are projected to see continued jobgrowth over the next decade.

Mechanical engineering

91±¬ĮĻā€™s mechanical engineering program, now the universityā€™s largest major, has expanded in response to national demand for engineers in industries including manufacturing, technology and transportation.

Enrollment has increased by more than 30% over the past decade. Graduates are recruited by employers such as Bath Iron Works, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Texas Instruments, GE and NASAā€™s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The curriculum progresses from foundational coursework in math and physics to advanced engineering applications, with an emphasis on analysis, design and problem-solving. Experiential learning is integrated throughout, with students participating in internships, co-ops and a yearlong senior capstone design sequence focused on design, prototyping and testing.

Students may pursue concentrations such as aerospace engineering, along with minors or certificates in robotics, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. The program reports a 95% positive student sentiment rate.

REad the full story online

Wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology

The wildlife, fisheries and conservation biology program has more than doubled in enrollment over the past two decades, reflecting sustained interest in conservation and natural resource careers.

The curriculum emphasizes field-based learning. More than half of courses include outdoor labs, and students complete a required immersive field experience in Downeast Maine that is frequently cited as a defining part of their education. More than 80% of undergraduates report that fieldwork influenced their decision to enroll.

Students gain experience through field surveys, internships and research. About 70% complete field experiences, and more than half participate in faculty-led research. Faculty and students have also produced more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and secured nearly $16 million in research funding during the past five years.

Among graduates, 95% are employed or enrolled in graduate school, and 82% work in natural resource fields.

REad the full story online

Speech, pre-medical and biomedical sciences

91±¬ĮĻ is reporting increased interest in programs that prepare students for careers in health care, research and biotechnology, reflecting broader national workforce trends.

Fields such as speech-language pathology and audiology are projected to experience above-average job growth over the next decade, according to federal labor data. Demand is influenced by factors including an aging population and expanded access to care.

Programs in communication sciences and disorders, biology, biochemistry and microbiology provide preparation for graduate study and professional careers, including speech-language pathology as well as medical, dental and veterinary school.

Students frequently participate in faculty-led research, gaining experience that supports applications to graduate programs or entry into the workforce. Faculty say the programs emphasize both academic preparation and applied learning.

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Business

The Maine Business School is nearing capacity for its incoming class, reflecting strong student demand for business education.

The program will enroll 330 first-year students, and nearly half of those seats were filled before April. Administrators say the pace of enrollment indicates sustained interest throughout the admissions cycle.

Students are drawn to the flexibility of the degree, particularly the general business major, which allows exploration across disciplines before selecting a concentration. Finance and marketing remain among the most popular areas of study.

The school reported a 94% positive outcome rate for the Class of 2024, defined as graduates employed, enrolled in graduate school or participating in service programs within six months. Officials say the program is designed to prepare students for a range of careers across industries.

REad the full story online

Animal and veterinary sciences

Enrollment in 91±¬ĮĻā€™s animal and veterinary sciences program has increased since before the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting demand for careers in animal health, veterinary medicine and agriculture.

The program prepares students for careers in veterinary medicine, research and agriculture-related fields. About 20% of graduates continue to veterinary or medical school, while others enter the workforce directly.

Students gain hands-on experience at the universityā€™s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center, where they work with animals in applied settings and develop practical skills.

All students also participate in research with faculty on topics including animal health, environmental systems and disease. Faculty say the program is structured to support both exploration and career preparation as workforce demand continues to grow.

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Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu 

Joe Poblete is a PhD candidate in Food and Nutrition Sciences supervised by Dr. Juan Romero in the School of Food and Agriculture’s Animal and Veterinary Science program. Joe research was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Dairy Science, an official journal of the American Dairy Science Association. His article title “” is not only published in the January 2026 issue, but had been selected as an “Editor’s Choice” meaning it will be prominently featured on the journal’s this month and is included in theĀ . Ā Additionally, the journal will also be promoting the article on our social media channels.

After finishing his M.S degree, from July 2019 to December 2022, Joe served as a Senior Science Research Specialist in the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI) in UPLB. He was involved in a government-funded project entitled, ā€œDevelopment of Farm-Specific Precision Feeding System and Forage Production Protocols for Enhanced Productivity and Profitability of Dairy Farmsā€.

Discover campus and coastal life at the 91±¬ĮĻ through ā€œLife in the Pines,ā€ where real students share their experiences studying, exploring nature and embracing community on both the Orono and Machias campuses.

ā€œLife in the Pines,ā€ an unscripted video series sharing stories of students at the 91±¬ĮĻ and 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias, has launched its second season.

Each episode follows a student along their academic journey, whether it takes them to the coast, wild blueberry fields, medical research labs, K-12 classrooms, basketball courts or, literally, through the pines. Prioritizing authenticity, this series seeks to show what life is really like for students at both campuses. Visit to watch the full series.

Students to be featured this season include: 

• Alan Chausse, a forestry major who also plays in a band and rock climbs.
• Quincy Clifford, a business management major who has studied abroad in Costa Rica and played basketball with other students from around the globe.
• Jasper Makowski, a microbiology major, Honors College student, medical research lab student researcher and Circle K New England district governor.
• McKenna Chappell, a parks, recreation and tourism major who spends mornings creating art and afternoons teaching children about Maineā€™s outdoors.
• Nico Durkee, a studio art major in the marching band who plays with molten metal in the sculpture studio.Ā 
• Lauren Smack, a sociology major, singer and dancer whoā€™s made Orono her new home.Ā 
• Isabelle Puccio, a biomedical engineering major who conducts breast cancer research and searches for ways to combine music and science.
• Samantha Ney, an elementary education major who lives life on Marsh Island to the fullest, from walking the trails to cheering on the Black Bears.Ā 
• Jeffrey Nowack, who never thought he would be a drum major until he recently discovered his passion ā€” and possible career paths ā€” for music education.
• Joey Ferguson, an integrative biology major who conducts wild blueberry research and responds to marine mammal strandings in Downeast Maine.Ā 

Donā€™t miss this insiderā€™s look at 91±¬ĮĻ through the lens of a dynamic group of students living life in the pines.

Transcript:

I have friends that are going to school right now in Colorado and Nebraska and theyā€™re beautiful, but Maine is forged by nature and forged by the people that are here. I feel like itā€™s a flex.

Did you know that the J.F. Teaching and Research Center is part of the dairy farmer cooperative, which includes Cabot Creamery and McCadam Cheese? In a Cabot Creamery highlighted its partnerships with universities like the 91±¬ĮĻ.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Gov. Janet Mills launched Dairy Month on June 6 at the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Witter Farm, uniting dairy farmers, 4-H students, researchers, state and local leaders and industry partners. Together, and with a celebratory milk toast, they highlighted the vital role of dairy in Maineā€™s agricultural economy and rural communities.

ā€œWitter Farm is an incredible example of how innovation and education are shaping the future of agriculture in Maine,ā€ said 91±¬ĮĻ President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. ā€œWeā€™re proud to highlight the ways research and student learning intersect to support the stateā€™s dairy industry.ā€

As part of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, Witter Farm is a hub for research, experiential learning and outreach. Each year, more than 6,000 visitors tour the farm, where students care for animals, bottle-feed calves, assist with herd health and use a robotic milking system that provides real-time data on milk quality and cow well-being.

The event brought together representatives from the Maine Dairy Industry Association, Maine Cheese Guild, Maine Dairy Promotion Board and Maine 4-H, as well as 91±¬ĮĻ faculty, students, agricultural service providers and policymakers.

Mills and Ferrini-Mundy delivered remarks honoring the strength, resilience and innovation of Maineā€™s dairy sector.

ā€œDuring Maine Dairy Month, Maine people can show their appreciation by making sure the milk they buy at the grocery store is produced in Maine,ā€ said Mills. ā€œLetā€™s all support the long-term success of Maineā€™s dairy industry by buying milk and milk products that come from Maine.ā€ 

Read the full release from the Office of Governor Janet T. Mills . 

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

OLD TOWN, Maine ā€” The 91±¬ĮĻ unveiled its new robotic milking barn ā€” the third of its kind in Maine and a new resource for bolstering the agricultural workforce and pursuing research activities ā€” at Witter Farm in a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, April 2. 

Featuring the latest technology in the dairy industry, the barn will offer new experiential learning opportunities that better prepare students for careers in agriculture, including farming, research and development, livestock care and education. Witter Farm employs 15-20 student workers and hosts dairy classes from 91±¬ĮĻā€™s animal and veterinary sciences (AVS) program, one of the largest in the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences with 190 students enrolled. 

The new barn will also modernize the research and experiments conducted there to enhance, optimize and adapt farm operations to the changing economy and environment. With improved research and workforce development capabilities, the new barn can help address challenges faced by the dairy industry, which has lost one-third of its farms since 2020 due to rising costs and other challenges, in alignment with the .

ā€œThe facility is a demonstration of our universityā€™s commitment to its land grant mission, and its technology is vital for our students and researchers to keep pace with modern teaching and research,ā€ said 91±¬ĮĻ President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. ā€œThe modernization of Witter Farm will enable our land-grant university to de-risk and research the integration of new milking technologies to better support the industry’s sustainability and resilience, and prepare the future Maine dairy workforce to innovate and increase the production and profitability of Maine farms.ā€

The project is supported by federal and state investments in the universityā€™s Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES), which includes Witter Farm, and the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, as well as through funding for the 91±¬ĮĻ System.  

“Dairy farmers in Maine are pleased to see the investment the university has made into their dairy program. It encourages a commitment to the dairy industry from not only the university, but all students who are able to learn and be impacted by this innovative technology,ā€ said Maine Dairy Industry Association President Annie Watson.  

The technology improves cow comfort by allowing for voluntary milking. Within the free-stall barn, each cow can walk up to the system when theyā€™re ready for milking, at which point robotic arms will connect pumps to their udder. This allows cows to set their own milking schedule, which has shown to increase production. 

Rather than rely on human resources for this task, robotic milking will create a more efficient system for farm staff and students. These systems also record milking frequency and volume, milk quality and the number of visits to the robots by each cow, which offers dairy producers better insight into herd management, nutrition and health. The information collected by the robotic system will be essential for enhancing data science education for 91±¬ĮĻ students.

ā€œOne of the biggest things Iā€™m excited about is that itā€™s going to be a game-changer for students across all different types of fields. Itā€™s not only going to help pre-veterinary students, but also students who are interested in nutrition, data analysis, different aspects of research and agricultural engineering,ā€ said Annie Leahy of Marshfield, Massachusetts, a third-year student majoring in zoology with an animal science minor. ā€œI like a lot of hands-on involvement, so spending less time milking the cows and with facility maintenance allows us to spend more time with the cows, which is how I learn my veterinary skills.ā€ 

Although the milking process is now automated, students will still learn how to do hands-on milking and herd management, with a new focus on technological advancements. 

Daily maintenance and hands-on experiences with the cows, including assistance with bottle feeding and vaccinations, will continue to provide the educational experience students have come to expect. Gaining experience with new and emerging technologies, as well as hands-on work with large animals, is a unique aspect of animal education that 91±¬ĮĻ provides to students. The new barn also includes teaching spaces, staff and research offices and a public viewing platform. 

ā€œThis barn is part of the larger Witter Center Teaching and Research operation. This is not a small operation but rather involves several students, staff and faculty, as well as members of the public,ā€ said Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. ā€œOffering hands-on experiences to our students with both dairy cattle and horses are a key component of the AVS degree program and a significant draw for students from across the country.ā€

The robotic milking barn isnā€™t the first technological advancement at the farm. Staff have implemented an automated health monitoring system for the herd, which allows staff to get ahead of potential issues with individual cows.

Witter Farm, part of the J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center in Old Town, is home to the 91±¬ĮĻ undergraduate and graduate education and research programs in dairy and equine science. It attracts students from multiple majors, including animal and veterinary sciences; biology; ecology and environmental sciences; and those pursuing a pre-veterinary concentration, among others. 

As part of MAFES, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year, Witter Farm is one example of a resource that provides capacity support to faculty who conduct fundamental and applied research. Technological advancements at its facilities will prepare students for the future of dairy in Maine and beyond.
Photo cutline: Several University ofMaine students and Dancer the cow pose for a photo during the grand opening ceremony of the new robotic milking barn Witter Farm. Photo courtesy of the 91±¬ĮĻ. 

About the 91±¬ĮĻ: As Maineā€™s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the 91±¬ĮĻ advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, 91±¬ĮĻ is the stateā€™s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the 91±¬ĮĻ at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe ā€” from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with 91±¬ĮĻ Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, 91±¬ĮĻā€™s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrowā€™s leaders. As the stateā€™s flagship institution, 91±¬ĮĻ offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelorā€™s, masterā€™s, professional masterā€™s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about 91±¬ĮĻ and 91±¬ĮĻ Machias, visitumaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and .

If you were to visit the 91±¬ĮĻā€™s Witter Farm in the quiet hours before sunrise, you would see bleary-eyed students shuffle through their morning chores. At 4:30 a.m., students bring the farmā€™s dairy cows into a tie-stall barn for the first of their twice-per-day milking. The next will take place at 4:30 p.m., then the process repeats ā€” ā€œeven on Thanksgiving,ā€ said Patricia Henderson ā€™17, farm superintendent. 

That routine will soon change in the interest of preparing students for the future of the dairy industry.

A new barn equipped with a robotic milking system is under construction at the farm and expected to be fully operational by the end of the year. It will be the third barn in the state equipped with the advanced technology, according to Henderson. 

Robotic milking systems allow for voluntary milking ā€” cows have the ability to set their own milking schedule. Rather than rely on human resources for this task, this will create a more efficient system for farm staff and students. These systems record milking frequency and volume, milk quality and the number of visits to the robots by each cow, which offers dairy producers better insight into herd management, nutrition and health. Dairy cows that set their own milking schedule also show increased production.

Witter Farm, which is part of the J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center in Old Town, is home to the 91±¬ĮĻ undergraduate and graduate education and research programs in dairy and equine science. The farm attracts students from multiple majors, including animal and veterinary sciences; biology; ecology and environmental sciences; and those pursuing a pre-veterinary concentration, among others. Dairy classes taught at the farm usually have about 25 students.

Although the process will be automated by next year, students will still learn how to do hands-on milking and herd management, with a new focus on technological advancements. Madison Philbrick ā€˜23G, former Witter Farm livestock manager, said daily maintenance and hands-on experience with the cows, including assistance with bottle feeding and vaccinations, will continue to provide the educational experience students have come to expect. 

ā€œThe cows still need to be cared for. The calves still need to be fed. It might not need to be at three in the morning anymore, but thereā€™s still that day to day,ā€ said Philbrick, now coordinator of 91±¬ĮĻā€™s School of Food and Agriculture. Additionally, the new robotic milking system will have its own requirements for cleaning and maintenance, according to Philbrick. 

This wonā€™t be the first technological advancement at the farm. Staff have also implemented an automated health monitoring system for the herd, which allows them to get ahead of any potential issues with individual cows.

ā€œThe system will do heat detection and health alerts, and it tracks their overall rumination and eating schedules,ā€ Philbrick said, adding that it can send alerts to phones. ā€œIf thereā€™s a cow that has stopped eating for a little while, itā€™ll flag it as a health alert. Then you get to play the puzzle game of whatā€™s actually wrong.ā€

Gaining experience with new and emerging technologies, as well as hands-on work with large animals, is a unique aspect of animal education that 91±¬ĮĻ provides to students.

ā€œHaving large animal experience helps students get a step ahead,ā€ Henderson said. ā€œItā€™s very valuable. Most of our students get into vet school on the first try, which is not the case at many other universities that donā€™t have a research station with animals and livestock on site.ā€

The dairy industry in Maine has lost one-third of its farms since 2020 due to rising costs and other challenges. The Task Force to Support Dairy Farms in Maine was recently created to help identify how the state might help farms be more profitable. 

ā€œThis investment is critical to the university and the state of Maine,ā€ said Marge Kilkelly, chair of the Maine Board of Agriculture. ā€œThis facility will transform Witter Farm, reflecting modern practices and technologies used to care for and manage dairy cows, while also allowing for essential research to be conducted. It is exciting to see 91±¬ĮĻ continue to modernize education and research experiences while responding to the workforce needs of Maine.ā€

As part of the universityā€™s Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, Witter Farm is one example of a resource that provides capacity support to faculty who conduct fundamental and applied research. The work done at the farm helps address issues and develop opportunities for the people of Maine. Henderson noted these advancements will prepare students for the future of dairy in Maine and beyond, especially in the midst of the challenges the industry faces. 

ā€œThe state of Maine has not been a national leader in milking technology, but weā€™re gaining. There are already two robotic farms in the state. One of them was just constructed and finished this spring,ā€ Henderson said. ā€œBefore I started here, I was a dairy consultant for a grain company and I did a lot of work in Vermont. Everybody there was transitioning to robots.ā€ 

Henderson highlighted labor savings and easier management for her staff as an additional perk of the robotic milking operation.

ā€œSometimes you have to rely on technology a little bit,ā€ she said ā€œWeā€™re excited to be some of the pioneers in that moving forward.ā€

Story by Shelby Hartin.