APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 12, 2025 301
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
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S.P. 728 - L.D. 1858
An Act to Promote Local Seafood in Schools
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§12, as amended by PL 2023, c. 101, §1, is further
amended to read:
12. Local Foods Fund. The Local Foods Fund is established within the department.
The fund is authorized to receive revenue from public and private sources. The fund must
be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts. Any balance
remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal
year. The fund must be used to match $1 for every $3 $2 a school administrative unit pays
for produce, value-added dairy, protein, including seafood, or processed foods purchased
directly from a farmer, person who fishes commercially, aquaculture farmer, farmers'
cooperative, aquaculture farmers' cooperative, local food hub, local food processor or food
service distributor in the State, to a maximum state contribution of $5,000 $10,000 per
school administrative unit in fiscal year 2021‑22 2025-26 and subsequent years or $5,500
$11,000 per school administrative unit if funding is received and the school administrative
unit sends a food service employee to local foods training administered by the department
under subsection 13. All foods purchased using the fund must be grown, caught or
produced in the State, with the exception of processed and value-added food products
produced in the State, which must meet standards set by the department. The department
shall create standards for allowable processed and value‑added food products produced in
the State and provide guidance to school administrative units regarding which of those
products are allowable for reimbursement under this subsection and subsection 12‑A. At
the end of the fiscal year, the school administrative unit may provide the department with
receipts documenting purchases pursuant to this subsection during that year.
Reimbursement or partial reimbursement to school administrative units may only be made
up to the amount available in the fund. Failure to reimburse does not constitute an
obligation on behalf of the State to a school administrative unit. The department shall apply
for federal grant funding to provide state contributions in excess of $5,000 per school
administrative unit in fiscal year 2021-22 and subsequent years pursuant to this subsection
if applicable grant funding is available. The department may accept grant funding from
hospitals and other sources to provide state contributions in excess of $5,000 per school
Page 1 - 132LR1659(03)
administrative unit in fiscal year 2021-22 and subsequent years pursuant to this subsection.
Any available unexpended balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year may be used for
training and materials related to the Local Foods Fund programs.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§12-A, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 426, §2, is
amended to read:
12-A. Local Foods Fund reimbursement. Reimbursement or partial reimbursement
to school administrative units may be made only up to the amount appropriated to support
the provisions of the Local Foods Fund as established in subsection 12. Funds appropriated
for this purpose do not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year to be used
for the same purpose or for training and materials related to the Local Foods Fund
programs.
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. OOO, §2,
is amended by enacting at the end a new last blocked paragraph to read:
Funds received for the purposes of this subsection may be used to contract with 3rd-party
entities to provide training.
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §6602, sub-§13-A is enacted to read:
13-A. Data collection; annual report to Legislature. The department shall collect
data on the usage of the Local Foods Fund under subsection 12 and the local foods training
program under subsection 13 by school administrative units, including the procurement of
seafood. Beginning January 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, the department shall report to
the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters
and marine resources matters on program participation, seafood purchases made by school
administrative units and recommendations for program improvement. Each of the joint
standing committees may report out legislation related to the content of the report.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 301: 20-A.6602