Farmers Drought Resilience Fund

The Department is making grants available to farmers to address the need for agricultural water management plans and the installation of agricultural water sources, including:

  • Dug wells
  • Drilled wells
  • Gravel-packed wells
  • Water storage ponds

Round Three Funding Expected

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is preparing for a third round of funding through the Farmers Drought Resilience Fund. The Request for Applications is anticipated in late Q4 2026.

Approximately $300,000 is expected to be available to support projects that help Maine farms strengthen their resilience to drought and improve access to reliable agricultural water sources.

The Department is currently updating program materials, application requirements, evaluation criteria, and funding priorities in preparation for the next round. Additional information, including the Request for Applications, application period, eligibility requirements, and deadlines, will be posted here when available.

The Farmers Drought Resilience Fund supports agricultural water management planning and eligible water-source infrastructure, including dug, drilled, and gravel-packed wells, as well as water storage ponds.

Fund Rules

Fund Rules (DOCX)

Request for Applications

Q/A Summary

Q/A Summary Final as of 1/27/26 (PDF)

Application Form

SAMPLE Application Form (for review only) (PDF)

Application Form

2026 Awardees

Water Storage Ponds

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Hall Brook Farm Thorndike Waldo 31 diversified vegetables $50,000
Treworgy Family Orchards Levant Penobscot 65 fruit $50,000
Tabbutt & Daughters Blueberries Columbia Washington 61 wild blueberries $25,000
Crane Brothers Corinth Penobscot 4400 potatoes $50,000
Morning Dew Farm Damariscotta Lincoln 4 diversified vegetables $50,000
Hemphill Farms Presque Isle Aroostook 550 potatoes $50,000
Wood Prairie Family Farm Bridgewater Aroostook 57 potatoes $50,000
Brodis Blueberries Hope Knox 170 wild blueberries $50,000
Duane Theriault St. Agatha Aroostook 2000 potatoes $50,000

Drilled Wells

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Hall Brook Farm Thorndike Waldo 31 diversified vegetables $25,000
New Spoke Farm West Paris Oxford 4 diversified vegetables $25,000
Dandelion Spring Farm Bowdoinham Sagadahoc 4 diversified vegetables $25,000
Levesque's Organic Farm Leeds Androscoggin 30 diversified vegetables $25,000
Radical Roots Nursery Winterport Waldo 5 nursery $22,500
A.R. Mace Aurora Washington 7 wild blueberries $25,000
On The Mountain Farm Warren Knox 3 flowers $25,000
The Locust Grove Albion Kennebec 10 fruit $22,500
Intervale Cherryfield Washington 7 wild blueberries $22,500
Fogwood Gardens Arrowsic Sagadahoc 1 flowers $25,000
Rime Nor Reason Charlotte Washington 7 diversified vegetables $22,500
Newdawns Farm Mount Chase Penobscot 3 diversified vegetables $15,000
The King's Gardener Presque Isle Aroostook 3 fruit $15,000

Gravel-Packed Wells

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Cherryfield Foods Twp, 18 MD BPP Washington 1857 wild blueberries $50,000

2025 Awardees

Water Storage Ponds

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Kingsbury Family Farm  Mars Hill Aroostook 2700 potatoes $50,000
L&L Paradis, Inc Frenchville Aroostook 990 potatoes $50,000
Clarence Tabbutt Estate Jonesboro Washington 46 wild blueberries $37,400
Hart Farm Holden Penobscot 10 diversified vegetables $26,250

Drilled Wells

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Fitzpatrick Family Farm Houlton Aroostook 1100 potatoes and soybeans $13,631
Thomas Farms Corinth Penobscot 250 diversified vegetables $16,290
Two Farmers Farm Vassalboro Kennebec 14 carrots and greens $25,000
Calyx Farm Morrill Waldo 2.5 diversified vegetables $25,000
Rustic Roots Farm Farmington Franklin 2.5 diversified vegetables $25,000
Wanderwood Nobleboro Lincoln 2.5 fruit, vegetable, and flower $25,000
Fair Share Farm Wayne Kennebec 1.5 diversified vegetables $12,573
Pemaquid Falls Farm Pemaquid Lincoln 1 diversified vegetables $25,000
Angelus Bell Farm Fort Fairfield Aroostook 1 diversified vegetables $7,560

Water Planning Agreements

Name Town County Acres Crop Award Amount
Hall Brook Farm Thorndike                Waldo 20 diversified vegetables                $7,500
Tabbutt & Daughters Blueberries Columbia            Washington 50 wild blueberries                            $7,500
New Spoke Farm West Paris              Oxford 2 diversified vegetables                   $7,500
The King's Gardener Presque Isle   Aroostook 10 vegetables, berries, apples    $7,500
Radical Roots Nursery Winterport Waldo 5 nursery  $7,500
Edgewood Nursery Falmouth  Cumberland 1 nursery  $7,500
Tavern Hill Farm Windham  Cumberland 4 berries and rhubarb                                    $7,500
Newdawns Farm Mount Chase  Penobscot 20 vegetables and berries            $7,500
Winterberry Farm/Fernwood North Haven  Knox 2.5 vegetables and flowers         $7,500
Old Crow Ranch Durham    Androscoggin 40 livestock and hay                       $7,500