The election on November 2nd is almost here, and your voice matters. Question 1 may have received most of the attention, but here at the Maine Farm Bureau we think that Question 3 is even more important for Maine farmers and every Mainer who eats food! The so-called “Right to Food” amendment sounds appetizing, but its vague… Read more >
Posts By: Julie Ann Smith
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE 1st SESSION OF THE 130TH MAINE LEGISLATURE?
NEW LAWS FOR 2021 MAINE FARM BUREAU REQUESTED LEGISLATION BECOMES LAW An Act Regarding the Production and Sale of Birch Syrup and Birch Syrup Products On May 5, 2021, Governor Mills signed into law legislation that allows birch syrup to be sold commercially in Maine. Young Farmer Committee member Max Couture brought this idea forward… Read more >
Action Alert!
AG LABOR BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7TH The Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing will hold public hearings on two bills that would:FORCE FARMS TO PAY OVERTIME AND ELIMINATE ABILITY TO PAY PIECE RATE (LD 1022 An Act To Make Agricultural Workers and Other Workers Employees under the Wage and Hour Laws)… Read more >
MEFB MEETS WITH IF&W TO DISCUSS CROP LOSS DUE TO WILDLIFE
Dear Farm Bureau members and supporters, Last spring, I wrote to solicit your participation in a task force to address deer damage issues on Maine farms. A number of you agreed to participate and our Farm Bureau executive director, Julie Ann Smith, subsequently scheduled a telephone conference call to develop potential strategies. As a result of… Read more >
LEGISLATIVE IMPACT REPORT JANUARY 13, 2021
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REVIEW 1,812 BILL TITLES Clark Granger, BOD Vice President and Legislative Committee Chair and Julie Ann Smith, Executive Director, spent the last week reviewing the 1,812 bill titles recently published. Over 300 bill titles have been identified as potentially impacting Maine agriculture. While the language for most of the… Read more >
Stasha Baldwin Elected Young Farmer Chair for 2021
At the annual meeting on November 17, 2020, the members of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee elected Stasha Baldwin of Sidney to serve as Chair. Stasha is the co-owner of Wolf Creek Maple and serves on the Kennebec County Farm Bureau board. In addition to her YFR Committee Chair duties, Stasha will also serve… Read more >
130th Committee Assignments Announced
Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryJames F. Dill, Chair (D-Penobscot)Margaret M. O’Neil, Chair (D-Saco)Chloe S. Maxmin (D-Lincoln)Russell Black (R-Franklin)David Harold McCrea (D-Fort Fairfield)H. Scott Landry, Jr. (D-Farmington)Laurie Osher (D-Orono)Randall C. Hall (R-Wilton)*Thomas H. Skolfield (R-Weld)Susan Bernard (R-Caribou)Jeffrey Allen Gifford (R-Lincoln)Joseph F. Underwood (R-Presque Isle)William D. Pluecker (I-Warren) Appropriations and Financial AffairsCatherine E. Breen, Chair (D-Cumberland)Teresa S. Pierce,… Read more >