AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The executive director of the Maine Farmland Trust says the future of farming in the state looks good, but there are still major challenges in the way.

John Piotti said Sunday at the Forum on the Future event at the University of Maine at Augusta that Maine’s abundant land, growing conditions and location in the Northeast make the state well-positioned for growth in agriculture.

The Kennebec Journal (http://bit.ly/123Ar3E ) reports that he says in the past 15 years, Maine has gained about 1,200 farms, and the acreage in production has increased 4 percent. Most of the growth has been among small farms that sell to a few restaurants or stores or directly to consumers at farmer’s markets.

He says the challenges include land prices, the workforce and infrastructure to support farms.

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