An Act to Update the Laws Governing the University of Maine System's Board of Agriculture and to Rename the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1511
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: DILL, BLACK, HEPLER, LANDRY, PLUECKER
Amends: 7 MRSA §121, 7 MRSA §122, 7 MRSA §123, 7 MRSA §124, 7 MRSA §125

Legislative Document
No. 1511
H.P. 966
House of Representatives, April 5, 2023
An Act to Update the Laws Governing the University of Maine 
System's Board of Agriculture and to Rename the Maine 
Agricultural Experiment Station
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DILL of Old Town.
Cosponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin and
Representatives: HEPLER of Woolwich, LANDRY of Farmington, PLUECKER of Warren.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA c. 5, headnote is amended to read:
CHAPTER 5
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND MAINE AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST 
EXPERIMENT STATION
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §121, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 711, §3, is amended 
to read:
§121.  Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station
1.  Establishment.  The department of the University of Maine System known and 
designated as the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, referred to in this 
section as "the "station," established at the University of Maine at Orono in connection with 
the university and under the direction of the university, the director and the Board of 
Agriculture, for the purpose of carrying into effect an Act of the Congress of the United 
States, approved March 2, 1887, to establish agricultural experiment stations in connection 
with the colleges established in the several states under an Act approved July 2, 1862, and 
of the Acts supplementary thereto, must be maintained in accordance with the purposes for 
which it was originally established.
2.  Director.  The President of the University of Maine at Orono, in consultation with 
advice from the Board of Agriculture, shall appoint for a term of 5 years the Director of the 
Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, referred to in this section as "the 
"director."  After the term has expired, the director is eligible for reappointment.  The 
director may be removed by the President of the University of Maine at Orono, in 
consultation with advice from the Board of Agriculture, for cause.  The director shall work 
with the Board of Agriculture to oversee the work of the university faculty at the station.  
The director of the station is the executive and administrative officer of the station and shall 
exercise supervision, direction and control over the station in accordance with the programs 
and policies of the University of Maine System and those established by the Board of 
Agriculture.
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA §122, as amended by PL 2005, c. 512, §2, is further amended to 
read:
§122.  Orcharding and crops
The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station shall conduct scientific 
investigations in orcharding, corn and other farm crops and, to this end, shall maintain the 
farms purchased in the name of the State, and stocked and equipped for the use and benefit 
of the station.  The Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, with 
the agreement of advice from the Board of Agriculture, has the general supervision, 
management and control of those farms and of all investigations thereon on those farms.  
The board and the director shall seek agreement on all issues.  In the event that agreement 
can not be reached, final authority rests with the director.
Sec. 4.  7 MRSA §123, as amended by PL 1997, c. 711, §4, is further amended to 
read:
§123.  Animal husbandry
The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station shall conduct scientific 
investigations in animal husbandry, including experiments and observations on dairy cattle 
and other domestic animals, and these investigations are under the control of the director 
of the station with the agreement of advice from the Board of Agriculture.  The experiments 
in animal husbandry may be conducted at any of the farms owned by the State.  The board 
and the director shall seek agreement on all issues.  In the event that agreement can not be 
reached, final authority rests with the director.
Sec. 5.  7 MRSA §124, as amended by PL 1997, c. 711, §4, is further amended to 
read:
§124.  Expenditure of appropriation
Sums that are appropriated in favor of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment 
Station must be expended by the director of the station with the agreement of advice from 
the Board of Agriculture in executing sections 121, 122 and 123.  The board and the director 
shall seek agreement on all issues.  In the event that agreement can not be reached, final 
authority rests with the director.
Sec. 6.  7 MRSA §125, as amended by PL 2009, c. 393, §1 and PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. 
W, §6, is further amended to read:
§125.  Board of Agriculture
1.  Establishment; duties.  The Board of Agriculture, referred to in this section as "the 
"board," as established in Title 5, section 12004‑G, subsection 4‑A, is created within the 
University of Maine System.  The board shall advise the Chancellor of the University of 
Maine System and the President of the University of Maine at Orono on matters concerning 
the direction, operation and management of agricultural research conducted by the Maine 
Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station and university farm-based programs, including 
those of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.  The board's duties are 
limited to advising the chancellor and the president on research and programs relating to 
agriculture and aquaculture.  The board does not advise the Director of the Maine 
Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station or have a role in the operation of research and 
programs within the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station that relate to 
forestry, wildlife, or fisheries and aquaculture.  The board shall assist the chancellor and 
the president in articulating the mission of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment 
Station and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service as it pertains to 
agriculture and the State's rural economy.  The director, with the agreement of advice from 
the board, shall develop a budget for the station.  The board and the director shall seek 
agreement on all issues. In the event that agreement can not be reached, final authority rests 
with the director.  The board may not interfere with funding and grants for commodity 
research programs brought to the University of Maine System directly or through the efforts 
of commodity groups.  The board shall respect the expertise of the various commodity 
groups and shall maintain the integrity of the research being recommended and reviewed 
by specific commodity groups.  The board shall assist in the coordination of activities with 
commodity groups interested in or supporting agricultural research.  The board shall invite 
appropriate individuals and conduct a public, facilitated discussion at least annually to 
better understand the needs and trends in agriculture in the State that would benefit from 
new or additional research. The board shall consult with the following agricultural 
commodity advisory committees on agricultural research and extension priorities:
A.  The University of Maine System Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee; and
B.  The Maine Potato Board Research and Product Development Committee.
2.  Membership.  The board consists of the following 20 21 members:
A.  A designee of the President of the University of Maine at Orono;
B.  A designee of the Chancellor of the University of Maine System;
C.  The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or the commissioner's 
designee;
D.  The president of a statewide farm bureau or the president's designee;
E.  The president of a statewide agricultural council or the president's designee;
F.  Eight members representing the agricultural industry, one person designated by each 
of the following:
(1)  The Maine Potato Board;
(2)  The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine;
(3)  A statewide pomological society;
(4)  A statewide vegetable and small fruit growers association;
(5)  A statewide dairy industry association;
(6)  A statewide landscape and nursery association;
(7)  A statewide florist and growers association; and
(8)  A statewide organic farmers and gardeners association;
G.  Two members of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over agricultural matters, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one 
appointed by the Speaker of the House;
H.  One farmer with livestock experience in an area other than dairy farming, chosen 
from a list of 3 nominees submitted by a statewide beef and sheep producers 
association, appointed by the Governor;
I.  Two research faculty members associated with agricultural research at the University 
of Maine at Orono, appointed by the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine 
System;
J.  The Director of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service or the 
director's designee; and
K.  One member representing the aquaculture industry designated by a statewide 
aquaculture industry association.; and
L.  The Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station or the 
director's designee.
3.  Terms.  Each member serves a term of 5 years, except that the terms of legislative 
members expire the first Wednesday in December of even-numbered years.  Vacancies 
must be filled by the appointing authority to complete the term of the preceding appointee.
4.  Chair; secretary.  The board shall select annually one of its members to serve as 
chair.  The Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station shall serve 
serves as secretary to the board but the director is not a member of the board and has no 
vote.
5.  Compensation.  The board members are entitled to legislative per diem 
compensation for attendance at board meetings in accordance with Title 5, chapter 379.
6.  Report.  The Board of Agriculture shall report at least annually to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters and to the Board 
of Trustees of the University of Maine System.  The report must include an accounting of 
meetings and actions of the Board of Agriculture, including agreements entered into, status 
of demonstration projects, research findings, informational activities an outline of 
emerging trends in agriculture and an evaluation of the Maine Agricultural and Forest 
Experiment Station and University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service programs, 
with recommendations regarding changes or improvements in the programs and the budget.  
The Board of Agriculture shall submit annually to the Board of Trustees of the University 
of Maine System proposals for additional funding for program needs and capital building 
projects at the research farms.
7.  Long-range plan.  By January 15, 2000, and every 5 years beginning in 2024, the 
board shall establish a long-range plan for operation of the Maine Agricultural and Forest 
Experiment Station and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service programs 
that includes but is not limited to plans for each of the research farms, joint appointments 
for experiment station and extension faculty, better utilization of research farms and 
objectives for research for each agricultural commodity in the State.  The plan developed 
by the board does not include operations, research and programs relating to forestry, 
wildlife, aquaculture and fisheries.
SUMMARY
This bill renames the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station the Maine Agricultural 
and Forest Experiment Station and requires the Director of the Maine Agricultural and 
Forest Experiment Station to perform the director's duties with advice from the University 
of Maine System's Board of Agriculture.  The bill also adds aquaculture and the State's 
rural economy to the board's advisory duties to the Chancellor of the University of Maine 
System and the President of the University of Maine at Orono.  It amends the membership 
of the board and requires the board to invite appropriate individuals and conduct a public, 
facilitated discussion at least annually to better understand the needs and trends in 
agriculture in the State that would benefit from new or additional research.  It also requires 
the board to include in its annual report to the Legislature an outline of emerging trends in 
agriculture, to submit annual proposals for additional funding for program needs to the 
Board of Trustees of the University of Maine System and to update its long-range plan for 
operation of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station every 5 years.