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.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1511, HP 966: 7.121, 7.122, 7.123, 7.124, 7.125