An Act To Establish the Dairy Improvement Fund
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1869
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: PLOWMAN, NUTTING, MASON, SHERMAN, BLACK, EDGECOMB, FOSTER, GIFFORD, TIMBERLAKE
Amends: 7 MRSA §2910-B, 8 MRSA §1036

Legislative Document 
No. 1869 
S.P. 653 
In Senate, March 12, 2012 
An Act To Establish the Dairy Improvement Fund 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator PLOWMAN of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Speaker NUTTING of Oakland and 
Senators: MASON of Androscoggin, SHERMAN of Aroostook, Representatives: BLACK of 
Wilton, EDGECOMB of Caribou, FOSTER of Augusta, GIFFORD of Lincoln, 
TIMBERLAKE of Turner. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Maine dairy industry may suffer irreparable injury if state support is 
not available immediately; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §2910-B is enacted to read: 
§2910-B.  Dairy Improvement Fund 
 There is created the Dairy Improvement Fund, referred to in this section as "the 
fund." The fund must be deposited with and maintained by the commissioner to be used 
solely for investment in and improvement and marketing of the dairy industry in the 
State.  The fund must be administered by the commissioner in accordance with this Title.  
All money received by the fund from any source, including revenue distributed under 
Title 8, section 1036, subsection 2-A, paragraph K, must be credited to the fund.  Money 
credited to the fund may be used to provide loans to assist dairy farmers in implementing 
programs and activities that improve the economic viability of the dairy industry and to 
pay the administrative costs of processing loan applications and servicing and 
administering the fund and loans and grants made from the fund.  Repayment of these 
loans and interest on the loans must be credited to the fund to be available for the same 
purposes. 
The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.  
Sec. 2.  8 MRSA §1036, sub-§2-A, ¶K, as enacted by IB 2009, c. 2, §45, is 
amended to read: 
K.  One percent of the net slot machine income must be forwarded by the board to the 
Treasurer of State, who shall credit the money to the Department of Agriculture, 
Food and Rural Resources to fund dairy farm stabilization pursuant to Title 7, section 
3153-B the Dairy Improvement Fund under Title 7, section 2910-B. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates the Dairy Improvement Fund within the Department of Agriculture, 
Food and Rural Resources to fund programs and activities to improve the economic 
viability of the dairy industry.  The bill provides that revenue from slot machines 
operated by a casino operator that is distributed to the department for dairy stabilization 
under current law would instead be transferred to the improvement fund.