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LD1605 • 2025

An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts

An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts

Agriculture
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Senator Stacy Brenner
Last action
2026-01-27
Official status
Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts

An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts Sponsor: Senator Stacy Brenner Reference committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts Sponsor: Senator Stacy Brenner Reference committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Latest committee action: Reported Out; ONTP

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-27 Committee

    Reported Out; ONTP

  2. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

  3. 2026-01-08 Committee

    Work Session Held

  4. 2026-01-08 Committee

    Voted; ONTP

  5. 2025-05-19 Committee

    Carry Over Approved

  6. 2025-05-16 Committee

    Carry Over Requested

  7. 2025-05-15 Committee

    Work Session Reconsidered; TABLED

  8. 2025-04-29 Committee

    Work Session Held

  9. 2025-04-29 Committee

    Voted; OTP-AM

  10. 2025-04-11 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

  11. House

    None

Official Summary Text

An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts
Sponsor:
Senator Stacy Brenner
Reference committee:
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; ONTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1605
S.P. 642 In Senate, April 15, 2025
An Act to Support Farmers and Food Banks Affected by Federal
Funding Cuts to Their Existing Contracts
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule
205.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on April 11, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BRENNER of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative GUERRETTE of Caribou and
Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, BLACK of Franklin, HICKMAN of Kennebec, TALBOT
ROSS of Cumberland, TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin, Representatives: DILL of Old Town,
JACKSON of Oxford, PLUECKER of Warren.

Page 1 - 132LR2481(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §320-D is enacted to read:
3§320-D. Food System Protection Program
4 The Food System Protection Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is
5 established and administered by the department to provide zero-interest loans and other
6 resources to qualifying producers within the State, and qualifying nonprofit organizations
7 within the State, established for the purpose of reducing hunger and increasing food
8 security that have been affected by federal funding cuts and other changes to the status of
9 contracts and certain federal programs. The department shall establish an application
10 process for individuals and entities to apply for loans under the program and criteria for
11 eligibility and adopt rules, as necessary, for the administration of the program. Rules
12 adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter
13 375, subchapter 2-A.
14SUMMARY
15 This bill establishes the Food System Protection Program, administered by the
16 Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, for the purpose of providing zero-
17 interest loans and other resources to qualifying producers within the State, and nonprofit
18 organizations within the State, established for the purpose of reducing hunger and
19 increasing food security that have been affected by federal funding cuts and other changes
20 to the status of contracts and certain federal programs.
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