Maine institutions to get more food from local producers

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine is home to a new law designed to compel state institutions to procure more of their food from local producers.

The law directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to create a food procurement policy with a goal that 20% of food and food products procured by state institutions be from Maine, the Maine House Democratic Office said. The law, proposed by Democratic Rep. Craig Hickman of Winthrop, states that the goal must be accomplished by 2025.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed the proposal into law in late March. It goes into effect on June 16.

Hickman said the law sends a message that farmers and food producers are essential to the state, and “we must continue to support them as citizens of the state both individually and through our state-funded institutions.”