PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 13, 2025
Agriculture in Maine is responsible for more than 200,000 jobs totaling $11.3 billion. It brings in more than $5 billion in tax revenue and exports nearly $650 million worth of goods. We should be doing everything possible to support our farmers. Some policies being considered in Augusta right now would do the opposite. LD 1323 seeks to ban the use of insecticides known as “neonics.” Neonics have been proven safe for human health. Lawmakers are also considering labor bills that would have a detrimental impact on farmers. The most problematic would get rid of the overtime exemption in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. This is a farm-killer. Last, Maine is part of the New England Food System Planners Partnership — a collaboration with a goal that 30% of the food consumed in New England will be produced here by 2030. That will be extremely hard to pull off by enacting policies that increase our production and labor costs. ~ Jim Pitreau, Green Thumb Farms, Fryeburg