SP0120, LD 287, item 1, An Act To Improve Funding of Agricultural Development Projects

An Act To Improve Funding of Agricultural Development Projects

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §306-A, sub-§3, ¶¶A and B, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 72, §5, are amended to read:

A. Applications may be submitted by individuals, firms or organizations in response to a request for proposals for competitive grants. Individuals, firms or organizations may also be contracted with directly for a special project under section 307;

B. At least 25% A percentage of the total cost of any project must be funded by the applicant or applicants and at least 10% a percentage of the total cost must be funded from nonpublic sources. These percentages must be established by rule. A single grant may not exceed 20% 50% of the total funds available to be granted in a given year ; however, in no case may a single grant exceed $30,000;

Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §306-A, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 72, §5, is amended to read:

4. Advisory committee. The commissioner shall establish the Agricultural Development Committee to evaluate market and production development competitive grant applications and review project results.

Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §307, as amended by PL 1999, c. 72, §6, is further amended to read:

§ 307. Special projects

The commissioner may contract directly with the University of Maine System or qualified individuals, firms or organizations for market research, for testing new technologies and for research on pressing, short-term technical problems related to the production, marketing, storage and processing of agricultural commodities.

summary

This bill amends the laws governing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's agricultural development fund to provide more flexibility with respect to grants and contracts and allow the department to directly fund agricultural development projects.

SP0120 LD 287	Session - 126th Maine Legislature		LR 382 Item 1
	Bill Tracking, Additional Documents	Chamber Status

Bill Tracking		Chamber Status
Amendments	Testimony, Public Hearings & Work Sessions		Committee Information
Other Documents			Title & Section

Search Bill Text		Search Bill Status
Bill Directory	Session Information		Legislative Information
Download MS-Word, Printed PDF		Maine Legislature

Office of Legislative Information 100 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333		voice: (207) 287-1692 fax: (207) 287-1580 tty: (207) 287-6826
Word Viewer for Windows		Disclaimer