Rep. Head's News from the Legislature

2022 Antlerless Deer Permit Lottery Results

Maine's antlerless deer permits are issued through a special lottery drawing.  For more information, click here.

To find out if you were selected to receive an antlerless deer permit, select the first letter of your last name.

A    B   C   D    E   F   G    H   I   J    K   L   M    N   O   P    Q   R   S    T   U   V    W   X   Y    Z

Claim and Purchase your Permit

Permits must be claimed and paid for by 11:59 p.m. on September 29, 2022.

To claim and purchase your permit, go the Antlerless Deer Permit Purchase Service.

If the permit recipient does not claim their permit by the deadline, that permit will be forfeited and sold to another person.

Permit recipients will receive their permit number upon payment to claim their permit.  The permit number is required when registering deer.

Super pack permit recipients still need to claim their permit but will not be charged the permit fee.  You can tell if you have received a super pack permit by checking the super pack column under your name.

Claim you permit here!

Maine Collecting Unwanted Pesticides Free of Charge

The Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program protects Maine's natural resources and prevents agriculture pollution by promoting the safe and proper disposal of outdated, unused, or unwanted pesticides. The Program is made possible by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry's Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.  The Program is open to homeowners and family-owned farms who are encouraged to bring unwanted pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, and similar products used in agricultural production or around the home to collection sites in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland.

• The next obsolete pesticide collection days will be held during October 2022 -- one day each in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland.
• More details to come, including drop-off locations.
• Pre-registration is required by September 26 to participate. Drop-ins are not permitted.

Details, including registering and supplying the obsolete pesticides inventory form, a list of banned and unusable products, storage and transportation guidelines, and other disposal options are found on the BPC Web site.

About Maine's Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program

Removal of obsolete and unwanted pesticides is important for protecting the public, wildlife, and environmental health.  Improper pesticide handling and disposal, such as placing it in the trash or pouring it down the drain, can contaminate land and water resources.  The Maine Obsolete Pesticide Collection Program ensures that they are handled properly.  Since 1982, the Program has saved more than 250,000 lbs. of pesticides from entering the waste stream.  Collected pesticides are taken to licensed, out-of-state disposal facilities by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.  Learn more here.

2022 Specialty Crop Block Grants Program Funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced nearly $560,000 in funding for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).  This USDA grant will help the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) fund projects ranging from managing soilborne diseases in potato production through integrated soil improvement to drought stress management for wild blueberry growers.

For a listing of specific Maine projects, click here.

The DACF will apply $52,438.48 of funding to ensure awardees abide by federal and State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and post-award activities to administer SCBGP funding.  Find more information about current and past SCBG projects on the DACF Web page.

Nationwide, the USDA is investing $72.9 million in non-competitive F.Y. 2022 SCBGP funding awarded to 55 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.  The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops.  The USDA's support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.

Authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the federal SCBGP is intended to increase the competitiveness of non-commodity crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Through the block grant model, the federal government awards funding to individual state agricultural agencies to make local decisions about allocating the funds.  Typically, the DACF releases an SCBG request for proposals in February, with applications due in March or April.  Since 2002, the SCBGP has awarded over $7.5 million to the DACF to support the growing number of specialty crop producers selling into local and regional markets.

Upcoming Agricultural State Fair Dates