Back to the Future: Agricultural Booms, Busts, and Diversification in Maine, USA, 1840–2017

Abstract

In temperate forested regions, historical agricultural production and value have been characterized by booms and busts. Agricultural diversification can encourage more stable agricultural development in the future. Agricultural Census and Survey data from 1840 to 2017 were used to estimate crop and livestock species’ product production and value for Maine, USA. These data were also used to calculate agricultural diversity indicators over time such as species richness, relative abundance, effective number of species, species diversification index, evenness, Shannon-Weiner index, and composite entropy index. Maine’s historical grass-based livestock systems included crops raised to feed livestock from the state’s establishment until the 1950’s. Since the 1950’s, production and value of livestock commodity products (e.g., meat chicken, eggs) have busted after initial booms. Three categories where diversity indicators have become more favorable since the 1950’s in Maine include livestock, livestock forage/feed, and potatoes and potato rotation crops. Mixed vegetables, fruits, nuts, and specialty crops as a category have had diversity increases during the 1970’s back-to-the-land movement and over the past two decades. Floriculture, propagation, and X-Mas trees as a category have witnessed volatile diversity indicator changes over time. Past diversification strategies can inspire farmers to go “back to the future” to improve sustainability.