For Immediate Release
October
17, 2016
Contact:
John Bott (207) 287-3156
Maine Horticulture Sales Increase 43.6%!
State officials credit LePage Administration tax
change for helping make Maine greenhouses and nursery’s more competitive with
the rest of the U.S.
AUGUSTA
– USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) today reported that
Maine horticulture sales have increased 43.6 % from $49.1 million (2009) to
$70.5 million (2014). The number of Maine horticultural operations increased
from 250 to 320, a 28% increase over the same time period. The 43.6% increase
in sales experienced by Maine is more than double the national average increase
of 18%.
Maine state officials welcomed the news, while
adding that a tax change policy proposed by the LePage Administration and
supported by the 125th Maine Legislature (Law/Bill reference: PL
2011, c. 657, Part N), is helping fuel growth in the Maine horticulture
industry.
“This
is a perfect example of how business friendly tax policies are helping to grow
Maine agriculture and jobs,” said Commissioner Walt Whitcomb. “For decades, the
Maine horticulture industry sought the recognition and support its counterparts
in the other 49 states received. The tax changes proposed by the LePage
Administration and supported by legislative majorities in 2011, provided
a sales tax refund on purchases of ‘depreciable machinery or equipment used for
commercial agriculture…in the commercial production of greenhouse and nursery
products.’ LePage Administration backed changes to the tax code support the
hard work of Maine farmers who have more than doubled the impressive growth
rate of U.S. horticulture over a 5-year period.”
Maine Horticulture Statistics
reported by NASS:
“In
2014, the United States had 23,221 horticultural operations that produced and
sold $13.8 billion in floriculture, nursery, and other horticultural specialty
products. Maine had 320 horticultural operations that sold $70.5 million
in horticultural products in 2014, compared to 250 horticultural operations
that sold $49.1 million in horticultural products in 2009. Horticulture
producers in Maine had $66.7 million in total production expenses in 2014.
Hired labor expenses in Maine accounted for 32 percent of the total production
expenses. Of the 1,828 hired workers in Maine, 1,082 worked less than 150 days
compared to 746 who worked 150 days or more.”
NASS provides accurate, timely, and useful statistics in
service to U.S. agriculture. The Horticultural Specialties Highlights and all
other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov
For
more information about the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
Forestry, go to: www.maine.gov/dacf
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