132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1858		LR 1659(02)
	An Act to Promote Local Seafood in Schools
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Increase in maximum state contribution - Local Foods Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill increases the maximum contribution that a school administrative unit (SAU) may receive from the State for the purchase of produce, value-added dairy, protein, including seafood, or processed foods purchased directly from a farmer, a person who fishes commercially, an aquaculture farmer, a farmers' cooperative, an aquaculture farmers' cooperative, local food hub, local food processor or food service distributor in the State from $5,000 per year to $10,000 per year and from $5,500 per year to $11,000 per year if the SAU sends a food service employee to local foods training.  Currently, the Local Foods Fund receives ongoing, nonlapsing General Fund appropriations of $326,000 per year to fund the grants.  Under current law, this funding is sufficient to support an estimated 60 to 65 grants at either $5,000 or $5,500 per grant.  If this legislation is enacted, the current funding will support between 30 to 33 grants per year at $10,000 or $11,000 per grant.  This bill also provides that unexpended balances remaining at the end of the fiscal year may be used for training and materials related to the Local Foods Fund programs.  The current unexpended balance in the fund is approximately $1.0 million.
	Additional costs to the Department of Education to collect the required data and submit the required report can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.