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LD 1858

An Act To Promote Local Seafood In Schools

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mattie Daughtry and 9 co-sponsors

The bill boosts annual Local Foods Fund grants to schools to buy more local foods, including seafood, and funds staff training to expand local procurement.

Signed by Governor
#localseafood #nutritionprograms #schoolprograms
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Bill Summary · LD 1858

Summary — LD 1858: An Act To Promote Local Seafood in Schools

Status: Signed by the Governor (June 12, 2025)
Introduced: May 1, 2025
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Primary subjects: local seafood, school nutrition programs, local foods

Purpose

LD 1858 expands Maine’s Local Foods Fund program to encourage school purchasing of locally produced foods — including seafood — by increasing the maximum state grant amounts available to school administrative units (SAUs) and by permitting certain unexpended fund balances to be used for training and materials. The bill is intended to increase use of Maine food and seafood in school meals and to incentivize food service staff training on local procurement.

Key provisions

  • Increases the maximum annual state contribution (grant) a SAU may receive from:
    • $5,000 → $10,000 per year for purchases from in‑state producers and distributors; and
    • $5,500 → $11,000 per year if the SAU sends a food service employee to local foods training.
  • Eligible purchases include produce, value‑added dairy, protein (explicitly including seafood), and processed foods bought directly from:
    • farmers, commercial fishers, aquaculture farmers, farmers’ cooperatives, aquaculture cooperatives, local food hubs, local food processors, or in‑state food service distributors.
  • Allows unexpended balances in the Local Foods Fund at fiscal year end to be used for training and materials related to Local Foods Fund programs.
  • Requires data collection and a report by the Department of Education; departmental costs for this activity can be absorbed within existing resources.

Fiscal impact (from Fiscal Notes)

  • Current ongoing, nonlapsing General Fund appropriation to the Local Foods Fund: $326,000 per year.
  • Under current grant caps ($5,000–$5,500), that appropriation supports an estimated 60–65 grants per year.
  • With increased caps ($10,000–$11,000), the same appropriation would support an estimated 30–33 grants per year.
  • The current unexpended balance in the Local Foods Fund is reported as approximately $1.0 million, which may affect short‑term grant availability or implementation timing.
  • Additional Dept. of Education reporting costs are absorbable within existing budgets.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: school administrative units that participate in the Local Foods Fund, Maine farmers, commercial fishers, aquaculture producers, local food processors/hubs, and in‑state distributors who sell to schools.
  • Secondary beneficiaries: students receiving school meals with increased access to locally sourced foods, including Maine seafood.
  • The state budget impact is minimal in ongoing General Fund appropriation terms but changes how many SAUs can be served by the existing appropriation level.

Legislative actions / timeline highlights

  • Committee work and work session in May 2025; Committee Amendment “A” (S‑289) adopted.
  • Passed both chambers (House roll call 126–21 on June 9, 2025).
  • Signed by the Governor on June 12, 2025 (became law).

Practical effect

LD 1858 increases the per‑SAU grant size to better support larger or more sustained local procurement efforts and creates an incentive (higher grant maximum) for SAUs to send food service staff to local foods training. Because the appropriation amount was not changed in the bill, the number of grants funded annually under current funding will roughly halve, concentrating larger grants among fewer SAUs unless additional appropriation is provided.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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