Maine Food Policy News
#11 April 26, 2021
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Published weekly with support from
an Elmina B. Sewall Foundation grant to Maine Farm to Institution
The Maine Food Policy Website is now live. It includes an archive of all Newsletters, along with complete listings of all Bills we are tracking sorted by topics, tips on Taking Action and more. We continue to build this site as a toolbox for Food Justice and Democracy.
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The Food Policy Work Group relies on many advocacy partners to help us learn about high priority Legislative initiatives. We urge you to tune in to these groups.
Sign up Here for Advocacy Alerts from Key Policy Organizations
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Key Committee Schedules 4/26 - 5/7
Note: We urge you to subscribe to Take Action Alerts from various stakeholder groups to learn more (see links below).
Note: Each Bill listed has 3 clickable links:
- LD # link takes you to PDF text for the Bill
- Committee links takes you to Committee Page which includes:
- schedules
- links to testimony documents
- YouTube links takes you to hearings & Work Sessions, both live and earlier sessions.
Abbreviations used for Committees:
Hunger, Food Rights Bills
LD 174 An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Ending Hunger by 2030 Advisory Group sponsored by Rep. Pluecker, Work Session 9am Apr 27 ACF Committee. This bill proposes to implement the recommendations of the advisory group assembled pursuant to Resolve 2019, chapter 32 to end hunger in Maine by 2030. ACF YouTube
LD 961 An Act To Provide Equity in Access to Applications for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program sponsored by Sen. Eloise Vitelli, Hearing 10am Apr 26 EDU Committee. Create a statewide school meal benefit online application, housed on the Department of Education’s website, so families can easily apply for school meals online. The data submitted via the application would not be visible to the Department of Education, but would be transferred directly to local districts. EDU YouTube
LD 95 Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish a Right to Food, sponsored by Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham, Work Session 9am Apr 27 ACF Committee This constitutional resolution declares that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being. ACF YouTube
LD 1299 An Act To Permit Emergency Funding for Food Banks When a State of Emergency is Declared Sponsored by Rep Paulhus, Hearing 9am Apr 29 ACF Committee. This bill authorizes the Governor to distribute up to $400,000 from the Maine Budget Stabilization Fund during a state of emergency to nonprofit entities, including food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens, that provide or distribute food to low-income, indigent or unemployed individuals or households without charge. ACF YouTube
Pesticides, Pollutants, Recycling Bills
LD 125 An Act To Prohibit the Aerial Spraying of Glyphosate and Other Synthetic Herbicides for the Purpose of Silviculture, sponsored by Pres. Troy Jackson, Work Session 9am Apr 27 ACF Committee This bill prohibits the aerial application of glyphosate or other synthetic herbicides for the purpose of silviculture, including reforestation, regeneration or vegetation control after a timber harvest. ACF YouTube
LD 264 An Act to Prohibit Aerial Application of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances" Sponsored by Rep Pluecker Hearing 9am Apr 29 ACF Committee ACF YouTube
LD 1388 An Act To Require Testing of Public Drinking Water Supplies for Toxic Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and To Establish Maximum Contaminant Levels, sponsored by Rep. Pluecker Work Session 9am Apr 27 HHS Committee. HHS YouTube
LD 1467 An Act To Promote a Circular Economy through Increased Post-consumer Recycled Plastic Content in Plastic Beverage Containers, sponsored by Rep. Doudera Hearing 9am Apr 26 ENR Committee. ENR YouTube
LD 1505 An Act to Restrict the Use of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Firefighting Foam, sponsored by Hearing May 3, 9am in the ENR Committee. ENR YouTube
Farming Bills
LD 586 An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sponsored by Rep. Maggie O’Neil, Hearing 9am Apr 29 ACF Committee ACF YouTube
LD 219 An Act To Enhance the Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund by Establishing a Variable Interest Rate for Loans and To Allow Participants in the Maine Farms for the Future Program To Borrow at That Rate sponsored by Rep. Bill Pluecker, Work Session 9am Apr 27 ACF Committee. This bill allows the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, in consultation with the Finance Authority of Maine, to periodically review interest rates and establish an interest rate for agricultural marketing loans that varies with the prime rate of interest and is a competitive interest rate at the time of loan origination. It prohibits the rate from being less than 1% per year. It also allows participants in the Maine Farms for the Future Program to borrow at that rate. ACF YouTube
Equity Bills
LD 585 An Act To Restore to the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe the Authority To Exercise Jurisdiction under the Federal Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, sponsored by Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, Hearing 9am May 4 Judiciary Committee. JUD YouTube
Land, Environment & Rural Support Bills
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Federal Food and Agriculture Bills
The News is beginning to expand coverage of national legislation. Bills listed below have links to PDFs for each.
Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act will be introduced by Senators Cory Booker and John Cornyn this week and features:
- Provides funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a pilot grant program to create food and nutrition education positions in a range of rural, urban, and tribal schools.
- Food and nutrition educators will implement evidence-based practices proven to maximize students’ consumption—and enjoyment—of healthy meals.
- Priority will be given to schools in neighborhoods with high rates of childhood diet-related illnesses and schools in which 40 percent or more of students qualify for free or reduced price meals.
HR 7554, American Farmers, Food Banks, and Families Act
HR 5861: Agricullture Resilience Act.
HR 5845: Break Free from Plastic Pollutions Act
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12) introduced the Local and Regional Farmer and Market Support Act (H.R. 8096), and it will help meet the needs of farmers who've been left out during the pandemic. Here are THREE big reasons to support this bill:
- It offers direct support for producers selling into local and regional markets based on the losses they've experienced.
- It prioritizes funding for BIPOC farmers and low-income communities of color and includes robust outreach, technical assistance, and data collection to ensure that aid is distributed equitably.
- It provides emergency response grants for farmers markets and local food enterprises to allow those operations to adapt to new market conditions, implement public health and safety protections, and further support communities experiencing food insecurity.
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For more information, contact Ken Morse, Coordinator of the Maine Food Policy Work Group
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The Maine Food Policy Work Group is a collaboration of organizations and people working to promote good food policies in Maine. It was started by Maine Farm to Institution (MEFTI), with support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. |
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Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) is the fiscal and staffing home of the Maine Food Policy Work Group. HCCA's mission is to convene and support people, organizations, and communities to collaborate on quality of life and public health issues.
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