An Act To Authorize the Registration of Farmland in 2012 and 2013
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1649
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: SAVIELLO, BLACK
Amends: 7 MRSA §53-A, 7 MRSA §53-B, 7 MRSA §56, 12 MRSA §6-A

Legislative Document 
No. 1649 
S.P. 548 
In Senate, December 21, 2011 
An Act To Authorize the Registration of Farmland in 2012 and 2013 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 19, 2011.  Referred to the Committee 
on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin. 
Cosponsored by Representative BLACK of Wilton. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, maintaining agricultural production capacity is vital to rural economies; 
and 
Whereas, conflict may arise from siting nonfarm development adjacent to farmland; 
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 §53-A, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 478, §1, is amended to read: 
§53-A.  Eligibility 
Any owner who intends to register land as farmland pursuant to section 53-B shall: 
1.  Application.  Submit an application for review by the soil and water conservation 
district in which the land is located in accordance with the provisions of Title 12, section 
6-A.  Owners of land must apply for review by March 1st of the year in which 
registration is desired.  The owner shall use an application provided by the department; 
2.  Notice of intent.  Give notice of intent to register to all abutting landowners, as 
indicated on municipal or state tax records, by May 15th of the year in which registration 
is desired a minimum of 15 days prior to submitting registration materials under section 
53-B.  Abutters shall must be notified on a form provided by the department; and 
3.  Farm and Open Space Tax Law.  Only register land classified as farmland under 
the Farm and Open Space Tax Law, Title 36, chapter 105, subchapter X 10. 
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §53-B, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: 
1-A.  Additional registration period.  In addition to registering farmland within the 
registration period established under subsection 1, a landowner may register farmland 
under this chapter from July 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013. 
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA §53-B, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 478, §1, is amended to 
read: 
3.  Effective date.  A registration shall take takes effect 15 days after receipt of 
notice by the municipality and abutting owners if the notification requirement under 
section 53-D is met and review proceedings under section 54 are not initiated.  If review 
proceedings are initiated under section 54 the registration is effective when upheld by the 
municipality. 
Sec. 4.  7 MRSA §56, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 478, §1, is amended 
to read: 
A.    Any For land adjacent to farmland registered in 1990 or 1991, a lot or parcel of 
land which that, together with any adjoining lot or parcel in the same ownership, was 
one acre or less in area as of January 1, 1988; 
Sec. 5.  7 MRSA §56, sub-§3, ¶A-1 is enacted to read: 
A-1.  For land adjacent to farmland registered in 2012 or 2013, a lot or parcel of land 
that, together with any adjoining lot or parcel in the same ownership, was one acre or 
less in area as of January 1, 2012; 
Sec. 6.  12 MRSA §6-A, last ¶, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 478, §2, is amended to 
read: 
A district shall complete its review under this section must be completed by May 1st 
of the calendar year in which the application is made within 60 days of receiving an 
application. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows a landowner to register farmland in 2012 and 2013 under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 7, chapter 2-B.  Under current law, the time period for registering 
farmland is limited to between June 1st and June 15th in 1990 and 1991.  The purpose of 
farmland registration is to ensure a farmer's ability to engage in agricultural practices 
without adversely affecting neighboring landowners.