An Act to Allow the Local Foods Fund for Public Schools to Be Used for Processed and Value-added Maine Food Products
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0921
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: RENY, POULIOT, RAFFERTY, VITELLI
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6602

Legislative Document
No. 921
S.P. 392
In Senate, March 2, 2023
An Act to Allow the Local Foods Fund for Public Schools to Be Used 
for Processed and Value-added Maine Food Products
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator RENY of Lincoln.
Cosponsored by Senators: POULIOT of Kennebec, RAFFERTY of York, VITELLI of 
Sagadahoc.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§12, as amended by PL 2021, c. 426, §1, is further 
amended to read:
12.  Local Foods Fund.  The Local Foods Fund is established within the department.  
The fund is authorized to receive revenue from public and private sources.  The fund must 
be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts.  Any balance 
remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal 
year.  The fund must be used to match $1 for every $3 a school administrative unit pays for 
produce, value-added dairy, protein or minimally processed foods purchased directly from 
a farmer, farmers' cooperative, local food hub, local food processor or food service 
distributor in the State, to a maximum state contribution of $5,000 per school administrative 
unit in fiscal year 2021‑22 and subsequent years or $5,500 per school administrative unit 
if funding is received and the school administrative unit sends a food service employee to 
local foods training administered by the department under subsection 13.  All foods 
purchased using the fund must be grown or produced in the State, with the exception of 
processed and value-added food products produced in the State, which must meet standards 
set by the department.  The department shall create standards for allowable processed and 
value-added food products produced in the State and provide guidance to school 
administrative units regarding which of those products are allowable for reimbursement 
under this subsection and subsection 12-A.  At the end of the fiscal year, the school 
administrative unit may provide the department with receipts documenting purchases 
pursuant to this subsection during that year.  For purposes of this subsection, "minimally 
processed" means only the washing, cleaning, trimming, peeling, slicing, drying, sorting, 
refrigerating, freezing and packaging of food items or a combination of those activities.  
Reimbursement or partial reimbursement to school administrative units may only be made 
up to the amount available in the fund.  Failure to reimburse does not constitute an 
obligation on behalf of the State to a school administrative unit.  The department shall apply 
for federal grant funding to provide state contributions in excess of $5,000 per school 
administrative unit in fiscal year 2021-22 and subsequent years pursuant to this subsection 
if applicable grant funding is available.  The department may accept grant funding from 
hospitals and other sources to provide state contributions in excess of $5,000 per school 
administrative unit in fiscal year 2021-22 and subsequent years pursuant to this subsection.
SUMMARY
Current law provides that all foods purchased using the Local Foods Fund established 
within the Department of Education must be grown or produced in the State. It provides 
that other than produce, value-added dairy or protein, food purchased must be minimally 
processed and defines what "minimally processed" means. This bill removes reference to 
minimally processed foods and the definition. It allows the fund to be used to purchase 
processed and value-added food products produced in the State, which must meet standards 
set by the Department of Education. The department is directed to create standards for 
allowable processed and value-added Maine foods and provide guidance to school 
administrative units regarding which of those products are allowable for reimbursement.