Posted February 5, 2014
A Maine bill would support the expansion of “food
hubs,” where small-scale farmers can store, cut or clean their products to ease
the distribution process to larger markets, according to an Associated Press
article available here.
LD 1431, entitled “An Act To Support School Nutrition
and Expand the Local Foods Economy,” is available here. The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Committee is scheduled to consider the bill on Thursday afternoon.
The bill would provide grants and create a $6 million
bond issue to develop more food hubs, which allow small producers to get their
products to larger markets like schools and grocery stores. It would also fund programs to train school
food service workers “on the preparation and procurement of Maine-grown foods.”
Lawmakers, however, are divided on the merit of the
bill, according to an Associated Press article available here.
Republican lawmakers said that Maine cannot afford to
fund the expansion. “The only way we’re
going to get this money is to take away from revenue sharing, local towns and
everywhere else because we’re headed into a very big shortfall in the upcoming
year,” said Rep. Jeffrey Timberlake, a Republican from Turner.
Supporters say the bill will benefit the state by
providing more Maine students access to fresher, healthier vegetables and
promoting small businesses and the local economy.
Sen. Chris Johnson, sponsor of the bill, said he is
considering an agricultural bond that would support food hubs in a
comprehensive bond package. Other
supporters cite studies
showing that “dollars spent through food hubs boost local economies much more
than dollars spent on imported food,” according to the Conservation Law
Foundation here. According to the study, “every $100 spent on
local food has the potential to generate an additional $63 in the local
economy.”
For more information on local food systems, please
visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
