Maine Senate gives initial approval to Sen. Ingwersen bill to increase accessibility to locally produced food

AUGUSTA – On Tuesday, the Maine Senate gave initial approval to a bill from Sen. Henry Ingwersen, D-Arundel. LD 2093, “An Act to Address Food Insecurity by Helping Maine Residents Access Locally Produced Food,” would help address food insecurity in Maine and remove barriers for access to nutritious food.

“LD 2093 is crucial for Maine farmers and Maine families as it helps bring down the cost of local produce while also supporting farms,” stated Sen. Ingwersen. “This legislation is an investment in community resilience and increasing positive health outcomes. Farms play an important role in having a local food access point for Mainers who otherwise wouldn’t have access to quality nutritious foods.”

LD 2093 would provide ongoing funding to nutrition incentive programs and work to address food insecurity in Maine. The bill would strengthen and sustain existing programs, such as Maine Harvest Bucks and Farm Fresh Rewards that offer benefits to those buying nutritious produce. This will directly support Maine’s farms and local economy.

“Nutrition incentive programs encourage individuals to spend their money locally,” said Taylor Cray, Advocacy Supervisor for Preble Street. “This allows for more money circulating the local economy, while also fostering the creation of relationships between community members.”

LD 2093 now faces additional votes in the Senate and House.