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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
SECOND REGULAR SESSION-2024
Legislative Document No. 2212H.P. 1419House of Representatives, February 15, 2024
An Act to Strengthen Maine's Agriculture, Food System and Forest
Products Infrastructure Investment
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule
203.
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: FAY of Raymond, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HALL of Wilton, OSHER of
Orono, PLUECKER of Warren. Page 1 - 131LR2943(01)
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2 as enacted by PL 2021, c. 483, Pt. KK, ยง2, is
3 repealed and the following enacted in its place:
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5 designee, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or the
6 commissioner's designee and 15 members pursuant to this subsection.
7 M. The commissioner and the Commissioner of Economic and Community
8 Development shall jointly appoint 5 members of the board as follows:
9 (1) Two members from relevant financial institutions with experience in the
10 agricultural and forest products industries;
11 (2) One manufacturer of forest products;
12 (3) One manufacturer of value-added agricultural products or representative of the
13 value-added agricultural products industry; and
14 (4) One member actively engaged in providing marketing assistance, market
15 development or business and financial planning.
16 N. The President of the Senate shall appoint 5 members of the board as follows:
17 (1) One member of a statewide industry group representing conventional nondairy
18 farming;
19 (2) One member of a statewide industry group representing the forest products
20 industry;
21 (3) One member representing the supply chain in processing, manufacturing or
22 distribution;
23 (4) One member of a statewide industry group representing dairy producers; and
24 (5) One member representing historically underserved racial populations in
25 nondairy farming.
26 O. The Speaker of the House shall appoint 5 members of the board as follows:
27 (1) One member of a statewide industry group representing organic nondairy
28 farming;
29 (2) One member from a statewide group representing the logging and trucking
30 industry;
31 (3) One member representing the supply chain in processing, manufacturing or
32 distribution;
33 (4) One member who is a member of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or
34 band in this State; and
35 (5) One member representing historically underserved racial populations in
36 nondairy farming.
37 Board membership must reflect a diversity of skills and experience relevant to investment
38 in agricultural, food and forest products processing and manufacturing industries and Page 2 - 131LR2943(01)
39 represent the racial diversity of the food system in the State with specific representation by
40 Indian tribes, communities of color and other underserved communities and populations.
3 is enacted to read:
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5 a producer or business that causes a conflict of interest with regard to a vote the board is
6 holding, the member may not participate in that vote.
7 is enacted to read:
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9 fund must have a processing or manufacturing facility that is located in the State, shall use
10 the disbursement to support the operations of the facility and shall use the disbursement to
11 obtain the primary agricultural, food or forest product used in its commercial products from
12 a farm or a forest or waters in the State or from offshore waters to be collected in the State.
13 The following appropriations and
14 allocations are made.
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17 Initiative: Provides one-time funding to support public-private partnerships that facilitate
18 strategic investments in the State's agricultural, food and forest products processing and
19 manufacturing industries. These funds are nonlapsing.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24 2024-25All Other $0$10,000,000
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GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$0$10,000,000
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21 This bill amends the laws governing the Maine Agriculture, Food System and Forest
22 Products Infrastructure Investment Advisory Board to require the President of the Senate
23 and the Speaker of the House to appoint members to the board and prohibit a member of
24 the board who holds a position in a producer or business that causes a conflict of interest
25 with regard to a vote the board is holding from participating in that vote. It also requires
26 producers of agricultural, food and forest products receiving disbursements from the Maine
27 Agriculture, Food and Forest Products Investment Fund to obtain their primary agricultural,
28 food or forest products from within the State.
33 Finally, this bill provides a one-time appropriation of $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2024-
34 25 to the fund.
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