Policy Tracker
MOFGA promotes legislation that is critical to organic farmers and gardeners, addresses climate change, and supports a healthy environment, a strong rural economy, and a socially just, healthy society. Stay up to date on the bills we are following in the current Maine legislative session with our policy tracker. Read our positions, testimonies, and more.
Bills That MOFGA Is Following In The 2025 Maine Legislative Session
Appropriations
| Bill # | Title | Summaries | MOFGA Position | MOFGA Testimony | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD 210 | An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2025, June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027 | This is the legislative vehicle to make appropriations and allocations for the proper operations of State Government. | MOFGA monitored mission-related legislative activities that appeared as line items in the budget. | MOFGA testimony. | The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Community will be working through the budget for the foreseeable future. Stay tuned for updates. |
Climate & Energy
| Bill # | Title | Summary | MOFGA Position | MOFGA Testimony | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD 39 | An Act to Require Forest Landowners to Report the Registration or Sale of Their Forest Carbon Credits | This bill would require a forest landowner or forest carbon project developer to report the registration or sale of a forest carbon credit to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Forestry. | Support | MOFGA testimony. | The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry supported an amended version of this bill with simplified reporting requirements. The bill awaits votes in the House and Senate. |
| LD 694 | An Act to Require Petitions for Interstate Transmission Lines to Include Provisions for Conservation Funding | This bill requires that, for the Public Utilities Commission to determine a petition to develop a high-impact electric transmission line sufficient, the petition must include a provision for an annual payment to the Land for Maine's Future Trust Fund at a rate of $10,000 per megawatt, of which at least 20% must be directed to the Conservation Land Management Fund. | Support | To be posted. | This bill awaits a public hearing before the Energy, Utilities and Techology Committee. |
| LD 711 | An Act to Facilitate the State Meeting Its Climate Goals While Protecting Farms | MOFGA is concerned about this bill because it would weaken measures passed in the last legislative session to protect agricultural lands from distributed energy generation projects. | Oppose. | To be posted. | The Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee voted against this bill. It awaits votes in the House and Senate. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to Impose Penalties on Climate Polluters | This bill aims to ensure that major fossil fuel companies compensate Maine for the damage that greenhouse gasses have already caused. It would support Maine’s climate adaptation projects and equitably address the escalating costs of climate-related disasters. | Support. This is priority legislation of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Advance a Clean Energy Economy | This bill aims to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040 and would reduce fossil fuel dependence, lower energy costs, and create clean energy jobs while mitigating climate change impacts. | Support. This is priority legislation of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Reduce Pollution Associated with Transportation in Alignment with the State's Climate Action Plan | This bill integrates climate considerations into transportation planning. It would promote investments in public transit and safer streets, reduce transportation-related emissions, improve public health, and support sustainable growth. | Support. This is priority legislation of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Transportation Committee. |
Farm Viability
| Bill # | Title | Summary | MOFGA Position | MOFGA Testimony | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD 362 | An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Replenish the Land for Maine's Future Program | This bill would procure $50,000,000, for the Land for Maine's Future Board for the acquisition of land and interest in land for conservation; water access; wildlife or fish habitat including deer wintering areas; outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing; working farmland preservation; and working waterfront preservation. | Support. | To be posted. | This bill awaits a public hearing before the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. |
| LD 550 | An Act to Support Outdoor, Agricultural-based and Hands-on Experiential Learning in Public Schools | This legislation would establish a grant program to fund staff positions at public schools providing outdoor and experiential hands-on learning opportunities, including opportunities related to gardens, food and agriculture, to improve the health of and academic, physical and emotional development of students. | Support | MOFGA testimony. | The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee voted in support of this legislation. It awaits votes in the House and Senate. |
| LD 895 | An Act to Support Immersive Outdoor Education by Establishing the Outdoor School for All Maine Students Program | This bill establishes the Outdoor School for All Maine Students Program to provide immersive outdoor education to serve students enrolled in grade 4 to grade 8 in the State. It also establishes the Outdoor School for All Maine Students Program Fund within the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service. | Support | MOFGA testimony. | The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee voted in support of this legislation. It awaits votes in the House and Senate. |
| LD 593 | An Act to Extend Funding for the Land for Maine's Future Program | This legislation would ensure that the Land for Maine's Future program had annual funding of $10 million. | Support. | To be posted. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on March 13, at 1:00 p.m. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Bolster the Land for Maine's Future Program | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. | ||
| No LDs yet. | There are several bills that would establish bonds to significantly invest in Maine's agricultural systems. We will provide more detail when the bill come out of the Revisor's Office. | Support. | To be posted. | The bond bills are likely to be referenced to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. | |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Support Farmland Conservation. | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. |
Human Health & Environment
| Bill # | Title | Summary | MOFGA Position | MOFGA Testimony | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD 130 | An Act to Establish the PFAS Response Program and to Modify the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination | This bill would house the PFAS Response Program within the Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources as the ongoing response to farm contamination, including establishing and enforcing Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of PFAS in farm products, and providing on-farm mitigation strategies and financial assistance. | Support | MOFGA testimony | The bill is under consideration by the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. |
| LD 222 | An Act to Establish a Take-back and Disposal Program for Firefighting and Fire-suppressing Foam to Which Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Have Been Added | This bill would create a take-back and disposal program for firefighting and fire-suppressing foam to which perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been intentionally added. | Support. This is priority legislation of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | MOFGA testimony. | This bill is under consideration by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. |
| LD 356 | An Act to Require Notification of Certain Outdoor Pesticide Applications | This bill strengthens the notificaiton requirements for pesticide applicators. | MOFGA strongly supports the public's right to know about potential exposure to pesticides. | To be posted. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee on March 6 at 9:00 a.m. |
| LD 646 | Resolve, Establishing the Commission to Study Unregulated Storm Water Pollution | This bill would create a Stormwater Study Commission to protect our waterways from pollutants that harm aquatic ecosystems and public health by identifying improvements to Maine’s stormwater regulations. | Support. This legisiation is a priority of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | To be posted. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Environment and Natural Resources Committee on March 3 at 10:00. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Prohibit the Use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides | This bill builds on Maine's restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides, and emulates legislation passed in New York and Vermont. It would ban the agricultural use of neonicotinoids for seeds of soybeans or any crop in the cereal grains group, the outdoor application to any crop during bloom, and the outdoor application to leafy and petiole (such as celery or rhubarb) vegetable crop groups harvested after bloom. It would ban the outdoor application of neonicotinoids on ornamental plants and allow for limited neonicotinoid use under an emergency pest threat exemption when certain criteria are met. | Support | To be posted. | This bill will likely be referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Increase Penalties to Deter Violations of the Laws Regarding Improper Pesticide Use | This bill would significantly increase the fines given to pesticide applicators who apply pesticides to the wrong properties. | Support | To be posted. | This bill will likely be referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Revise the Growth Management Program Laws | This bill would update Maine’s Growth Management Law to improve land use planning by streamlining planning processes, supporting housing development, protecting natural resources, and better aligning with state climate goals. | Support, though we want to ensure that development happens with strong farmland preservation measures. | To be posted. | The bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the State and Local Government Committee. |
Social Justice & Equity
| Bill # | Title | Summary | MOFGA Position | MOFGA Testimony | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD 14 | An Act to Provide Indigenous Peoples Free Access to State Parks | This bill provides that a member of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band is not required to pay a fee for admission to or use of any state-owned park or historic site managed by the State. | Support. | MOFGA testimony | The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry will hold a public hearing on this bill on March 11 at 1:00. |
| LD 124 | An Act to Protect the Right to Food | This is an omnibus bill that would establish state policy statements and programs in support of Maine citizens' constitutional Right to Food and the Maine Food Sovereignty Act. | Support | MOFGA testimony. | The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry will hold a public hearing on this bill on March 11 at 1:00. |
| LD 415 | An Act to Support Hunger Prevention in Maine | This bill would provide an additional $1,000,000 each year in ongoing funding to contract with nonprofit organizations that provide statewide hunger relief services. | Support | To be posted. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee on March 6 at 9:00. |
| LD 468 | An Act to Address Food Insecurity by Helping Maine Residents Access Locally Produced Food | This bill would provide ongoing funding of $1,200,000 per fiscal year to the Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives to be used to match contributions from private and public sources. | Support | MOFGA testimony. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee on March 6 at 9:00 a.m. |
| LD 589 | An Act to Make Agricultural Workers and Other Related Workers Employees Under the Wage and Hour Laws | This bill would ensure that farmworkers are entitled to Maine's minimum wage. | Support. | To be posted. | This bill will have a public hearing before the Committee on Labor. |
| No LD yet. | An Act to Protect Energy Customers from Unfair and Unsafe Corporate Practices and Disconnection Policies | This bill aims to curb rising utility costs by strengthening consumer protections against service disconnections and competitive electricity providers and addressing utility profit structures. | Support, This legislation is a priority of Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition. | To be posted. | This bill awaits an LD number and a public hearing before the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. |
