Crane Brothers Farms in Maine: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Crane Brothers Farms of Exeter, Maine, is a four-generation operation that plants upwards of 3,200 acres of potatoes, corn and small grains. It has grown chip potatoes for Frito Lay since 1961 and holds what the state describes as the second oldest standing supply contract with Frito Lay in the United States. The family received the 2018 Agricultural Adventurers Award from the New England Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers.
| Location | Exeter, Penobscot County, Maine |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1950s, when brothers Vernon and Neil Crane took over from their parents |
| Sectors | Chip potatoes; corn; small grains |
| Scale | Upwards of 3,200 acres, about 70 percent irrigated, per the Maine Department of Agriculture announcement |
| Why it is elite | 2018 Agricultural Adventurers Award; supplier to Frito Lay since 1961; industry leadership roles |
| Ownership | Family owned; fourth generation joining the third |
| Official website | Maine Department of Agriculture announcement of the 2018 award |
History of Crane Brothers Farms
Mildred and George Crane sold their farm in the 1950s to their sons Vernon and Neil, who founded Crane Brothers Farms. The early operation grew peas, beans and other vegetables for a cannery in Corinna, Maine.
In 1961 the farm contracted with Frito Lay to grow chip potatoes for a plant in Fall River, Massachusetts. As Frito Lay expanded, the Cranes expanded with it and became one of the largest chip potato suppliers in the Northeast. The third generation, Steve and Jim, took over management after studying at the University of Maine, and the fourth generation, Andy and Ryan, has joined after studying at the University of Maine and Purdue.
What Crane Brothers Farms Grows and Raises
The farm plants upwards of 3,200 acres of potatoes, corn and small grains, rotated as part of a crop health program, with about 70 percent of the land irrigated. It owns a fleet of about 30 trucks and 20 tractors plus tillage, planting, spraying and harvest equipment, and its grading and storage facilities meet Frito Lay's quality standards.
Output in the year described was 250,000 to 300,000 hundredweight of potatoes to the Frito Lay plant and 250,000 bushels of corn and small grains to New England mills. Frito Lay supplies the proprietary seed stock. Western Maine potatoes go from field to fryer without storage, while central Maine crops are stored in three towns.
How Crane Brothers Farms Makes Money
Contract chip potatoes
The core revenue stream is a long-running supply contract with Frito Lay, which provides seed and sets quality standards. A contract with a major buyer gives a predictable market in exchange for strict specifications.
Corn and small grains for New England mills
About 250,000 bushels of corn and small grains went to New England mills in the year described. Grains rotate with potatoes and add a second sales channel.
Land base across regions
The farm expanded through land purchases in central Maine and Oxford County plus rentals. Spreading acreage across more than one region reduces weather risk and lengthens the harvest window.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Crane Brothers Farms
The first lesson is that a single anchor customer can support decades of growth if the farm meets its standards every year. The Cranes invested in grading, storage and trucking to match what the buyer needs.
The second lesson is leadership as a business asset. Family members have served as chair of the U.S. Potato Board, president of the National Potato Council, on the Farm Credit East Advisory Council and in state conservation roles, which keeps the farm close to policy and market changes. The third lesson is a written mission: a fair return for owners, a safe workplace and income for the next generation.
A potato farm that has fed the same chip maker since 1961 has earned its seat at the snack table, and Exeter deserves a bag of its own. For farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes with a spud theme, farm.FM is a fine place to unwind. The Cranes' trucks go field to fryer faster than most of us get from the couch to the fridge.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
How to Contact Crane Brothers Farms
Website: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEDACF/bulletins/1f90ffb
No official Crane Brothers Farms website was found in November 2026. The linked page is the state's announcement of the farm's 2018 award. No phone, address or email was verified; contact the Maine Potato Board or Exeter-area industry groups for introductions.
Crane Brothers Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Maine DACF award announcement - Detailed history, acreage and awards
- Bangor Daily News coverage - Young potato farmer of the year coverage of Ryan Crane
- BDN on National Potato Council president - Steve Crane elected national potato leader
- Maine Potato Board - State potato board profiles of growers
- USDA farmers.gov - Federal programs and loans for growers
Crane Brothers Farms FAQ
How long has Crane Brothers Farms supplied Frito Lay?
Since 1961, according to the Maine Department of Agriculture announcement.
How many acres does it farm?
Upwards of 3,200 acres of potatoes, corn and small grains, about 70 percent irrigated.
What award did it win in 2018?
The Agricultural Adventurers Award from the New England Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers.
How can I contact the farm?
No official site was found. Reach out through the Maine Potato Board or the state agriculture department.
Crane Brothers Farms shows how contract production, irrigation, storage and four generations of leadership can build a top Maine potato business. Return to the Maine farms guide for the wider state picture and more profiles.