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Farm Counseling PDF Print E-mail
Are you a farmer or agricultural producer who needs training or advice for your business? CEI offers three programs that can provide assistance in a variety of ways.

If you are a farmer seeking help with developing a business plan and improving your bottom line, our Farms for the Future program may be right for you. It is a business assistance and grant program for farmers who need help making a change in their business. Note: This program is highly competitive and applications are due the last Friday in August.

If you are an immigrant or refugee, our 'New American' Farmers program provides information, training, tools and resources to recently resettled refugee farmers and farm workers living in Maine.

Farmers seeking business counseling can make an appointment with an SBDC counselor just like any other small business. For more information and contact information on any of these programs, click on the links to the left.

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about the services offered by the Maine Farms Project at CEI

» About the Maine Farms Project

» Farm Financing

» Farm Counseling

» Farms for the Future

CEI IN THE NEWS!

U.S. Finance Expert Encourages Banking Investment in Maine Communities
At CEI's 32nd Annual Meeting, Ellen Seidman, Exec. VP of ShoreBank in Chicago, and Sr. Research Fellow with the New America Foundation in Washington, DC, urged Maine bankers and community activists to consider “greater community investment…meeting the actual needs of the community, not just counting dollars invested.” See full speech.

See annual meeting remarks by Ron Phillips, CEO, on triple bottom line investing and the next 5 years for CEI…

See the 12/14/09 article on CEI and the state of investing in communities. It’s where mission happens…

CEI Receives $125 Million in NMTC  Through its subsidiary, CEI Capital Management LLC, CEI will use the allocation to attract private capital investments for primarily rural economic development projects. See press release here.

CEI Receives Investment Funds
In partnership with Manufacturers Association of Maine, CEI will receive $765,000 over from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services (OCS), to finance several job-generating small-to-medium enterprises. This funding will create 78 full-time, year-round jobs.  Read press release here. 

Bangor Savings Bank and CEI offer low-interest loans to small and medium-sized enterprises in disadvantaged areas in Maine. Read more here.

Activities at a Glance
  • Market Development
  • Feasibility Studies
  • New Market Venues
  • General Business Assistance & Training
  • Direct Services leading to business plans
  • Marketing Materials
  • Farmer Training
  • Community Food Security
  • Community Meals for low-income persons
  • Portland Food Festival
  • Financing - Various Loan Programs and the Organic Farm Loan Fund
  • Local Food Policy Councils
  • State Legislative Involvement
  • National Policy Work
36 Water Street, PO Box 268, Wiscasset, ME 04578; Telephone: 207/882-7552; FAX: 207/882-7308; E-mail: cei@ceimaine.org