An Act To Establish the Maine Food System Investment Program To Create Quality Jobs and Support Farms, Fisheries and Food-related Businesses
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1531
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, MOORE, HICKMAN, JAVNER, MAXMIN, O'CONNOR, O'NEIL, PLUECKER, ROBERTS-LOVELL, DILL

Legislative Document
No. 1531
H.P. 1114
House of Representatives, April 9, 2019
An Act To Establish the Maine Food System Investment Program 
To Create Quality Jobs and Support Farms, Fisheries and Food-
related Businesses
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Senator MOORE of Washington and
Representatives: HICKMAN of Winthrop, JAVNER of Chester, MAXMIN of Nobleboro, 
O'CONNOR of Berwick, O'NEIL of Saco, PLUECKER of Warren, ROBERTS-LOVELL of 
South Berwick, Senator: DILL of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA c. 10-C is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 10-C
MAINE FOOD SYSTEM INVESTMENT PROGRAM
§320-A.  Maine Food System Investment Program
1.  Definitions.  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Food system" means all processes, infrastructure and persons involved in feeding 
a population, including growing, harvesting, collecting, processing, packaging, 
transporting, marketing, selling, consuming and disposing of food and food-related 
items in the State.
B.  "Producer" means a person in the State who produces and provides food directly 
from the site of the food production, including a person engaged in farming or fishing 
activities.
C.  "Program" means the Maine Food System Investment Program established in 
subsection 2.
D.  "Supply chain" means the chain of distribution by which food products in the 
State are moved from the producer to the consumer of the food products and may 
include intermediate entities such as processors, packagers, warehouse operators, 
distributors, wholesalers and retailers.
E.  "Value chain coordination" means an approach to food system development that 
connects the existing elements within the supply chain and identifies key gaps in the 
supply chain in existing infrastructure or services and opportunities for effective 
investment.
2.  Program established; purpose.  The Maine Food System Investment Program is 
established.  The program is administered by the department, either directly or by 
contract with a suitable organization, with assistance from the Department of Economic 
and Community Development.  The purpose of the program is to strengthen the food 
system, including the agriculture, seafood and fisheries and other food sectors and the 
supply chain, to increase access to new markets and opportunities for producers, 
processors, small businesses and consumers in the State in the producing, processing, 
packaging, distribution, marketing, sale and consumption of food products.
3.  Outcomes.  The intended outcomes of the program are to:
A.  Increase sustainable economic development and quality employment in the food 
system, including the agriculture, seafood and fisheries and processing industries and 
businesses involved in the transportation, storage and warehousing, distribution and 
wholesale and retail sale of food;
B.  Improve soil fertility, water resources and the resiliency of working waterfronts; 
and
C.  Increase the availability of healthy foods produced in the State for consumers in 
the State.
4.  Duties.  The program shall:
A.  Develop and implement a strategic framework that outlines goals and strategies in 
a 10-year time frame to carry out the purposes of subsection 2 and achieve the 
outcomes in subsection 3, including:
(1)  Identifying the highest priority areas for capital investments, technical 
assistance and value chain coordination in the food system;
(2)  Recommending where and how private, state and other public investments 
may be used most effectively to address food production challenges and barriers 
to food infrastructure and distribution needs;
(3)  Recommending how State Government, universities, agriculture, seafood and 
fisheries industries, food-related businesses, nonprofit organizations and industry 
groups may collaborate to minimize duplication in efforts and programs and 
bridge gaps in technical assistance, services, education, research and 
development;
(4)  Informing agriculture, seafood and fisheries industry and food system lenders 
and investors of the information collected under this paragraph to facilitate the 
financing of sectors in the food system; 
(5)  Recommending initiatives that improve regulation, marketing or 
transportation or distribution systems that enable direct sales of food products 
from producers to consumers in the State; and
(6)  Recommending investments, resources or policies to augment or improve 
state programs, nonprofit organization or industry efforts in building or 
maintaining value chain coordination and relationships and communication 
among producers, food processors, distributors, sellers, stakeholders, interest 
groups and other interested parties.
The program shall review and periodically update the strategic framework based 
upon an ongoing inventory of the agriculture, seafood and fisheries, food processing 
and food system financial investment and lending sectors; the supply chain; and 
assets and other components of the food system and food system analyses or related 
studies;
B.  Make periodic recommendations regarding rules or legislation to the department 
and the Legislature to:
(1)  Establish state investment priorities that support the outcomes in subsection 
3;
(2)  Align state policies, rules and resources with each other to support the 
outcomes in subsection 3; and
(3)  Identify additional initiatives, policies and resources necessary to implement 
the strategic framework under paragraph A, including staffing, provider 
contracts, the creation of a fund to accept appropriations, allocations, grants, 
donations and other funds and implementation of a grant or loan program for 
producers, food businesses and related industries;
C.  Coordinate with postsecondary institutions, including the University of Maine 
System, and private and nonprofit organizations to align food programs, technical 
assistance, research and investments to avoid duplication and to support the outcomes 
in subsection 3;
D.  Facilitate information sharing and collaboration among farms, seafood and 
fisheries entities, food businesses and organizations and investors to build 
opportunities for food products across the supply chain;
E.  Develop a list of food system stakeholders and interest groups, including state 
agencies and other governmental units, private entities, nonprofit organizations and 
industry groups, to provide input, consultation and collaboration in carrying out the 
purposes of this chapter and to convene an annual meeting of the stakeholders and 
interest groups to review the strategic framework under paragraph A, reinforce 
collaboration and coordination efforts and discuss issues and make recommendations 
concerning future development and implementation of the framework;
F.  Consult and collaborate with community development corporations and financial 
institutions in the development of food system investment infrastructure to support 
the outcomes in subsection 3; and
G.  Issue an annual report to the commissioner and the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture matters summarizing the 
program's activities, developments in implementation and maintenance of the 
strategic framework under paragraph A and expenditures for the previous year and 
any planned focus or activities of the program for the next year or following years.
5.  Powers.  In carrying out the purposes of this chapter, the program may:
A.  Hire or assign staff;
B.  Seek and accept funds from public and private sources;
C.  Use technical assistance, loans, grants or other means or resources approved or 
provided by the department;
D.  Create or designate an advisory board consisting of food system stakeholders, 
industry groups and other interested parties to assist in carrying out the provisions of 
this chapter; and
E.  Administer funds, grants or programs established with respect to the program by 
the department or the Legislature.
6.  Rules.  The department may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this chapter.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Report.  The Maine Food System Investment Program established in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 320-A shall:
1. Upon the completion of the strategic framework in Title 7, section 320-A, 
subsection 4, paragraph A or within 6 months of the effective date of this Act, whichever 
comes first, submit a report on the progress and activities of the program to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; and
2.  Within one year of the effective date of this Act, submit a report on the progress 
and activities of the program, including providing a copy of the strategic framework and 
any measurable outcomes or actions deriving from the program and an accounting of any 
funds appropriated or expended by the program to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
Sec. 3.  Program to seek additional funds.  If upon enactment of this Act at 
least $100,000 is not made available for the initial implementation of the Maine Food 
System Investment Program established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 
320-A, the program may seek other funds from federal, state, public, private and other 
sources to fulfill the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 4.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF
Maine Food System Investment Program N306
Initiative:  Provides a one-time appropriation in fiscal year 2019-20 of $100,000 to 
implement the Maine Food System Investment Program.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Maine Food System Investment Program under the Department 
of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to strengthen the food system, including the 
agriculture, seafood and fisheries and other food sectors and the supply chain, to increase 
access to new markets and opportunities for producers, processors, small businesses and 
consumers in the State in the producing, processing, packaging, distribution, marketing, 
sale and consumption of food products.  The duties of the program are to develop and 
maintain a 10-year strategic framework to carry out the goals of the program by fostering 
communication, collaboration and coordination among the various sectors of the supply 
chain, identify gaps in the supply chain and barriers to food infrastructure and distribution 
needs and work with community development corporations, financial institutions and 
other investors and lenders in the food system to direct financial investment to the areas 
GENERAL FUND
2019-20
2020-21
All Other
$100,000
$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$100,000
$0
of greatest need in the food system.  The program is also authorized to make 
recommendations regarding rules or legislation to the department and the Legislature that 
will direct investment or establish policies or priorities in carrying out the goals of the 
program.  The program is required to submit a 6-month and a one-year report to the 
Legislature subsequent to the implementation of the program and an annual report on the 
progress of and developments regarding the 10-year strategic framework.