Current through 2024-46, November 13, 2024
Section 001-205-II - BACKGROUND AND INTENT OF POULTRY DISEASE CONTROL FUNDA. The legislation authorizing the Poultry Disease Control Fund was established in 1984 during a serious outbreak of Avian Influenza in the United States.B. An Avian Influenza Task Force was formed and as one of the actions the committee recommended the establishment of the Poultry Disease Control Fund.C. During the outbreak the poultry industry agreed to contribute, if necessary, up to $100,000 to the Fund and Governor Joseph-Brennan agreed to contribute, if necessary, up to $100,000 from the Governor's contingency fund.D. The task force assumed that the maximum of $200,000 in the fund was adequate to depopulate and dispose of the initial infected flock and to indemnify the flock owner should an outbreak have occurred in Maine prior to a federal emergency being declared in the state.E. The Task Force assumed that the Governor's contribution would be used for initial expenses but that the Industry and Governor's contribution would be shared equally up to the maximum of $200,000.F. If further outbreaks occurred beyond the initial outbreak, the Task Force assumed that a federal emergency would be declared and therefore that federal funding would be used to depopulate and dispose of the poultry and to indemnify producers.G. Although the Poultry Disease Control Fund was developed during the Avian Influenza crisis, the intent of the Task Force was that the Poultry Disease Control Fund be used during any emergency caused by any poultry disease.01-001 C.M.R. ch. 205, § II