August 26, 2014 — Building on his comprehensive "Maine Made" plan outlined earlier this year, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud says he wants the state to become the food basket of New England through a series of new initiatives aimed at revitalizing the state's farming and fishing industries.
Bonds and grants to provide the capital for farmland and waterfront acquisitions are part of Michaud's plan. But Michaud also hopes to persuade state and municipal institutions to purchase more of their food from Maine producers.
In the last legislative session, state Sen. Chris Johnson worked for weeks on a proposal he thought could help farmers and seafood producers by encouraging the use of Maine-produced food in Maine schools. It was part of the Somerville Democrat's food hubs bill, an initiative to set up regional sites where locally-produced food could be stored and distributed.
The bill easily passed the House and Senate. Then it landed on the desk of Republican Gov. Paul LePage. "It went to the governor, he vetoed it, it came back and we overrode in the Senate and failed to override in the House by two votes," Johnson says.
In any other year, that would be the death of the food hubs plan, but this is an election year, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud is including it a broad package that he says will put Maine on track to become the food basket of New England. In order for it to move forward, Michaud says Maine will need strong leadership at the top. And he says that means a governor who says "yes" to farm friendly legislation, instead of "no."
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