An Act Regarding the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1450
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: TIPPING, FROST

Legislative Document
No. 1450
S.P. 591
In Senate, April 3, 2025
An Act Regarding the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative FROST of Belgrade and
Senators: BICKFORD of Androscoggin, BRENNER of Cumberland, HICKMAN of 
Kennebec, INGWERSEN of York, NANGLE of Cumberland, TALBOT ROSS of 
Cumberland, Representatives: ARCHER of Saco, BECK of South Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA c. 2-C, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA c. 919-B is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 919-B
VOLUNTARY MUNICIPAL FARM SUPPORT PROGRAM
§6905. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings.
1. Department. "Department" means the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry.
2. Farm support arrangement. "Farm support arrangement" means an arrangement 
that meets requirements established by the department by rule under which:
A. The owner of qualified farmland grants to a municipality a qualified easement; and
B. The municipality obligates itself to make farm support payments.
3. Farm support payments. "Farm support payments" means annual payments by a 
municipality during the term of a qualified easement:
A. In an amount up to 100% of the annual property taxes assessed by that municipality 
against land and buildings subject to a qualified easement up to the fair market value 
of the easement; and
B. To the person against whom the property taxes are assessed.
4. Qualified easement. "Qualified easement" means an agricultural conservation 
easement held by a municipality on qualified farmland in that municipality that:
A. Meets standards adopted by rule by the department designed to ensure that no 
development other than development related to agricultural use occurs on the qualified 
farmland; and
B. Is limited to a term of not less than 10 years.
5. Qualified farmland. "Qualified farmland" means farmland that meets eligibility 
requirements established by the department by rule.
§6906. Program established
1. Program. The Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program is established in order 
to protect and support local farms, preserve farmland and reduce the fiscal burden for 
participating municipalities that results from new development in rural areas. Under this 
program, a municipality may enter into farm support arrangements with the owners of 
qualified farmland.
A. A farm support arrangement must be approved by majority vote of the municipality's 
legislative body or municipal officers or by a municipal employee or committee 
appointed by municipal officers and designated to review and approve farm support 
arrangements.
B. Unless approved by a 2/3 vote of the municipality’s legislative body, the 
municipality may not enter into farm support arrangements:
(1) Affecting more than 3% of the total annual valuation of taxable land in the 
municipality; or
(2) In any calendar year, affecting more than 1% of the total annual valuation of 
taxable land in the municipality.
2. Effects of arrangement. A farm support arrangement may not diminish the 
eligibility of qualified farmland for participation in tax benefits under chapter 105, 
subchapter 2‑A or 10 or for consideration under Title 5, Part 15-A by the Land for Maine’s 
Future Board.
3. Nullification. A farm support arrangement, once finally executed, is binding on the 
municipality. A municipality may not cease to make payments under the arrangement 
unless the land subject to the qualified easement is taken by eminent domain or state law 
otherwise authorizes the payments to cease. In the event that a municipality’s obligation to 
make farm support payments ceases, the farm support arrangement and the related qualified 
easement are void and may not be given effect and the municipality shall provide notice of 
this fact to the owner of the qualified farmland and record that notice with the appropriate 
registry of deeds.
4. Rules. The department shall adopt rules governing this chapter. Rules adopted under 
this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 
2‑A.
SUMMARY
This bill changes the allocation of the Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program 
from the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, which contains laws governing agriculture, to 
Title 36, which contains laws governing taxation. The program includes laws governing 
farm support arrangements. The bill also reduces the minimum term of a qualified easement 
from 20 years to 10 years and allows the municipal officers or a municipal employee or 
committee appointed by the municipal officers to review and approve farm support 
arrangements.