126th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 218 LR 737(02)
An Act To Promote Small-scale Poultry Farming
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Potential current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Potential current biennium revenue decrease - Federal Expenditures Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This legislation removes the requirement for producers processing fewer than 1,000 birds annually to be in compliance with rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.  The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's meat inspection program follows federal guidelines that allow the state to receive up to 50% of the cost of the program in federal grant money.  It is likely that the federal government would determine this legislation is not within federal guidelines, meaning the State could lose all or a portion of the federal funding received for the meat inspection program.  For the federal fiscal year ended 9-30-12, the State received approximately $270,000 in federal funding for this program.  However, it is unlikely that the federal government would withhold funding for this program without first giving the department a listing of corrective action needed to be taken with a timeline for completion.