Potato board lauds state bond package $8.9M section focuses on environment

PRESQUE ISLE – The Maine Potato Board threw its support Wednesday behind a portion of the Legislature’s proposed $83 million bond package that focuses on environmental improvements that will benefit the potato industry.

The section that drew accolades from the group proffers spending $8.9 million on such projects as irrigation for agriculture and providing grants and low-interest loans to construct and upgrade public water systems.

The bond package will go before voters on the November statewide ballot in the form of five separate questions, based on each of the major bond categories: Land for Maine’s Future, economic development, education, transportation and environment.

Don Flannery, the board’s executive director, lauded the Legislature for the environmental improvement portion of the package and credited the board’s recent industry tour with helping to draw attention to issues pertinent to the potato sector.

This summer’s tour was the board’s third such event. The tour is offered during a non-election year to give legislators an up-close look at the potato industry. This year, a large contingent of Democratic and Republican leaders spent three days in Aroostook County, discussing irrigation issues, taking in equipment demonstrations and learning about pest management and worker safety.

“The legislators got our message about water and irrigation,” Flannery told the panel Wednesday. “We need the money. … The timing of the tour was impeccable, as far as them going on it and then going back to Augusta to negotiate the bond package.”

The panel agreed and voted unanimously to support the environmental bond question as it will appear on the November ballot.