2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 7: AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS › Part 1: ADMINISTRATION › Chapter 10-C: AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FOREST PRODUCTS › 7 §320-A. Agriculture, food system and forest products infrastructure investment

§320-A. Agriculture, food system and forest products infrastructure investment
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, manufacturing, packaging, transporting, marketing, selling, consuming and disposing of food and food-related items in the State.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
B. "Infrastructure" means property, equipment, networks and supporting services associated with the production, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, storage, packaging, transporting, marketing, sales and disposal of food.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
C. "Producer" means a person in the State that grows, manufactures, harvests or otherwise creates agricultural, food or forest products and value-added products, including a person engaged in farming, harvesting or other agricultural and forestry manufacturing activities.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
D. "Supply chain" means the chain of distribution by which agricultural, food and forest products are moved from the producer to the consumer and may include intermediate entities, including aggregators of various products, manufacturers, value-added producers, processors, packagers, warehouse operators and other storage entities, distributors, wholesalers and retailers.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
E. "Value-added" means changing the physical state or form of a product through processing or manufacturing to enhance or increase the product's value, including making the product suitable to generate renewable energy.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
2.  Goals; investment; inclusiveness.
The commissioner, in coordination with the Department of Economic and Community Development, industry stakeholders, representatives of Indian tribes, communities of color and other underserved communities and populations and other relevant agencies, shall:
A. Strengthen the State's agricultural, food and forest products economy with a priority of making resulting efforts more inclusive of and increasing investments in historically marginalized, underrepresented and underserved communities, including communities of color, low-income communities and rural communities that typically lack access to capital to start, sustain, scale and innovate businesses;   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
B. Expand infrastructure investments in the agricultural, food and forest products economy to increase access to new markets and opportunities for producers, processors, small businesses and consumers in the State in the producing, processing, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, marketing, sale and consumption of products; and   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
C. Collaborate with other state agencies, economic development organizations and other key institutional partners to establish technical assistance programs to support the objectives of this chapter.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
3.  Powers.
In carrying out the purposes of this chapter, the commissioner may:
A. Hire or assign staff or contractors, including community development financial institutions, economic development organizations, quasi-governmental entities or other capital or technical assistance providers;   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
B. Seek and accept funds from public and private sources; and   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
C. Administer funds, grants and programs.   [PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, §2 (NEW).