After a drought in 2020, coupled with pandemic slowdowns in trucking, no one expected the 2021 potato harvest to be as huge as it was. With this year’s record harvest — about 20 percent larger than usual — farmers scrambled to find space to store the crop. Thanks to the Loring Development Authority, three farmers were able to use space at Loring. This emergency potato storage on the former Loring Air Force Base saved the day for some local farmers. It is hoped it will also lead to a beneficial ripple effect to Aroostook County’s premier industry.
According to LDA President and CEO Carl Flora, this arrangement just may lead to further developments: “We could see some additional spin-off activity that resulted from the urgent accommodation needs that we really didn’t even think about at the beginning.”
In the case of one of the farmers utilizing storage space, Loring Development Authority is exploring the potential for a future longer-term agreement which is still in the discussion phase.
Source: bangordailynews.com
Photo source: Loring.org