Maine Sen. Stacy Brenner introduced a bill during a public hearing Thursday that would allow the state to better financially support farmers during unexpected events and emergencies. 

“This is not a hypothetical concern,” Brenner (D-Cumberland) told the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. “Farmers across Maine are facing unprecedented challenges from increasing erratic and extreme weather to the uncertainty of federal support.”

Brenner’s bill, LD 1605, comes after more than 100 farmers and supporters — including U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree — paraded through Augusta last week to protest federal cuts to agricultural grants and programs. In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has cut several programs that have provided millions of dollars and critical support to Maine farms.

Just last week, the federal agency ended the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, which has provided over $477 million to help Maine farms subsidize projects focused on integrating climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. 

A cost-sharing program that helps integrate conservation practices into working lands is also under threat as the Trump administration has tried to freeze one of its funding sources: the Inflation Reduction Act.

Beyond these sizable cuts, Maine farmers have expressed concern over President Donald Trump’s back and forth on tariffs that they say could eat away at their already thin profit margins. 

LD 1605 would allow the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to use one of its existing funds to grant zero-interest loans to farmers in the event of a disaster or loss of funds due to federal cuts. The proposal is co-sponsored by Republicans and Democrats in both chambers. 

“This is smart, targeted investment in rural resilience, food security and the future of Maine’s agriculture,” said Brenner, who also serves as president and CEO of Maine Farmland Trust and owns Broadturn Farm in Scarborough.

The department is in favor of the bill because it currently lacks a mechanism to distribute rapid emergency funds, said Director Megan Patterson. She told the committee that this legislation could offer that “crucial bridge funding” for farmers during unpredictable times. 

An original version of this bill sought to include food banks, which have also been hit by federal cuts to a program that would have provided $1.25 million to Maine over the next three years for food banks to source fresh produce from local growers. Brenner said she decided to move forward with a proposal that utilized existing funding levers and had to make the hard choice to leave food banks out. 

Good Shepherd Food Bank said it supports the bill even with the changes because of its strong partnership with Maine’s farming community.

Maine Farmland Trust and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association also both spoke in support of the bill. 

Source - https://mainemorningstar.com/