Finding Someone to Help You

When just starting out as a beginning farmer, and looking for someone to talk to, a good place to begin is the University of Massachusetts Extension and your local USDA farm service agency.

The 2011 UMass Extension Green Directory is a comprehensive guide to
educational resources for Massachusetts Agriculture industry professionals.
This 42 page guide is used as a reference all year long!

The directory includes:

• Contact information for UMass Extension Agriculture and Landscape
  Specialists and Faculty
• Upcoming UMass Extension conferences, seminars and workshops
• UMass Plant Diagnostic Lab submission information for insect, tick, disease and
  cultural problems
• UMass Soil and Tissue Testing Lab information
• Pesticide license information, including test dates, training workshops,
  and how to get a pesticide license
• Phone resources to refer home gardener questions
• Extension newsletters, web sites and publications
• Frequently used phone numbers related to Agriculture and the Green
  industries.

Massachusetts Farm Service Agency
USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies.