128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1584		LR 1678(02)
	An Act To Expand the Local Foods Economy by Promoting Local Foods Procurement
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2017-18	FY 2018-19	Projections  FY 2019-20	Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$163,532	$132,301	$136,291
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$163,532	$132,301	$136,291
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (ACF) to establish a local foods procurement program to promote and increase the procurement of local foods. The program will establish guidelines to assist state institutions in assessing their ability to procure local foods, provide department education and outreach to farms, farmers markets, community supported agriculture and seafood providers to increase the sale and purchase of local foods by state institutions and food supplement programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $78,532 starting in fiscal year 2018-19 for one full-time Planning and Research Associate II position. It also includes a General Fund appropriation of $85,000 in fiscal year 2018-19, and $50,000 thereafter, for education and outreach, for artwork, printing and distribution of promotional material and for data and research to prepare an annual report.
	Any additional costs to DHHS to implement the provisions of this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.