How scientists are using drones to help Aroostook potatoes

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 27, 2024

A 110-year-old Aroostook County facility is upping its technology to keep Maine’s potato industry thriving into the future. The Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle is using $3 million from the University of Maine System to transform a former storage building into an advanced research lab. From farms to stores and restaurants, the potato industry contributes $1.3 billion to the state’s economy, according to a 2024 UMaine study. Work in Presque Isle was key to one of the biggest sellers in decades: the Caribou Russet. With better research tools, the farm aims to develop new climate- and disease-resistant varieties faster and give growers seed for the next potato success story.