Brooksville is looking to join other Maine towns in passing a local food ordinance that would support local farms and food choices. The town is hosting a public hearing to discuss the upcoming ballot question at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14 at the Town House on Coastal Road.

The discussion will center around the issues related to adopting an ordinance that would allow local farmers to be exempt from state and federal regulations if they sell their products directly to consumers.

The actual vote will take place on March 4.

Residents, and others interested in the issue of local food, are invited to attend the meeting.

Blue Hill, Sedgwick, Penobscot, Trenton, Hope, Plymouth, Livermore and Appleton have already passed ordinances (see previous blog post about this issue). These ordinances outline residents' concerns that federal and state regulations hinder local food production and take away people's rights to choose their own foods. Supporters believe that by passing these local ordinances the state government will take notice and assist family farms and residents who want more local, sustainable food options.

This is the second time the town has brought a local food ordinance to vote. They lost the last vote in 2011 by a small margin. A recent petition drive brought this issue back to the ballot.

Brooksville is a small coastal town in Hancock County.

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About the Author

Meredith Goad has harvested oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, eaten reindeer in Finland and sipped hot chai in the Himalayas. She writes the weekly Soup to Nuts column and enjoys a good cocktail.

Meredith can be contacted at 791-6332 or mgoad@pressherald.com
On Twitter: @meredithgoad

Susan Axelrod's food writing career began in the kitchen; she owned a restaurant and catering business before turning to journalism more than a decade ago. To relax, she bakes, gardens and hikes with her husband and their two dogs. A newcomer to Portland, she is an online content producer for the Press Herald.

Susan can be contacted at 791-6310 or saxelrod [at] pressherald.com.
On Twitter: @susansaxelrod

Wendy Almeida and her family have a smattering of livestock and a summer garden. After 10 years of her kids being involved in 4-H, she's finally accepted the term "hobby farm" to describe her family's work at sustainable living. These days her morning starts with milking a goat before heading into the office for her day job as an assistant editor for features.

Wendy can be contacted at wea [at] mainetoday.com or on Twitter @wea1021.

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