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Lawmakers hear proposal to refine Maine Agriculture, Food and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment Fund and advisory board rules

2850514 · April 1, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Representative Lisonbee Hepler and stakeholders said the Fund has been stood up and an advisory board formed; witnesses urged the Legislature to consider capitalizing the Fund and approved conflict-of-interest and eligibility clarifications to help scale processing and manufacturing capacity for agriculture and forest products across Maine.

Sponsor and background: Representative Lisonbee Hepler presented LD 1252, a statutory cleanup and clarification for the Maine Agriculture, Food and Forest Products Infrastructure Investment Fund and its advisory board. The bill revises eligibility language (requiring facilities that receive a disbursement to be established in-state) and adds conflict-of-interest recusal language for advisory board members.

Why supporters want it: Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (Amy Winston), MOFGA (Heather Spalding) and DACF Director Michelle Webb testified that the Fund is a necessary state vehicle to…

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