Maine is the easternmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west,the Gulf of Maine to the southeast,and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest,respectively. Maine is the largest state in New England by total area. Of the 50 U.S. states,it is the 12th-smallest by area,the 9th-least populous,the 13th-least densely populated,and the most rural. Maine's capital is Augusta,and its most populous city is Portland,with a total population of 68,408,as of the 2020 census.
American Farmland Trust (AFT) is a non-profit organization in the United States with a mission to protect farmland,promote environmentally sound farming practices,and keep farmers on the land. AFT is staffed by farmers,policy experts,researchers,and scientists,and governed by a board of directors. Its headquarters are in Washington,D.C.,and it has regional offices throughout the country. AFT also runs the Farmland Information Center,an online collection of information on farmland and ranchland protection and stewardship established as a public-private partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Lawrence Steven Bliss is an American educator and former politician from the state of Maine. A Democrat,he served in the Maine House of Representatives (2000–2008) and the Maine Senate (2008–2011). He resigned as a senator on April 15,2011 after accepting a position as an administrator at California State University,East Bay,and leaving the state of Maine.
The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820,Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive.
Smiling Hill Farm is a 500 acre traditional New England farm encompassing parts of the municipalities of Westbrook,Scarborough,and Gorham,Maine. Founded in 1720 as the homestead of Nathaniel Knight,the 12th-generation descendants continue to operate the farm today. Known as the "Knight Farm",the farm was renamed "Smiling Hill Farm" by Roger D. Knight in 1974. Roger named the farm after a favorite childhood book,"Smiling Hill Farm" by Miriam E. Mason (1937). Smiling Hill Farm is known for its characteristic smiling cow logo. According to Family Business magazine,Smiling Hill Farm is the 9th oldest continually operating family business in the United States.
Rebecca J. Millett is an American politician from Maine. Millett is a Democratic State Senator from Maine's 29th District,representing South Portland,Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough. From 2004 to 2010,Millett served on the Cape Elizabeth School Board. She won a primary for Senate 29 over South Portland Representative Bryan Kaenrath in June 2012 and was first elected to the Maine State Senate the following November after defeating Republican Mike Wallace. The seat was held by Larry Bliss until his mid-term resignation in 2011. He was replaced by Cape Elizabeth resident and State Representative Cynthia Dill,who in turn decided not to seek a full term and instead to pursue the open seat in the United States Senate.
Eloise A. Vitelli is the majority leader of the Maine Senate. She is a Democrat representing Senate District 24,which serves all of Sagadahoc County and the adjacent town of Dresden,Maine in Lincoln County. Vitelli was first elected to the Maine Senate in a 2013 special election,but lost her re-election bid in 2014. She was re-elected in 2016,2018,2020,and 2022. Vitelli began working as an entrepreneurship trainer in the early 1980s and was the director of program and policy for New Ventures Maine for 38 years. She became the Assistant Senate Majority Leader in December 2020,and Majority Leader in February 2021.
Nathan Libby is an American Democratic politician from Maine. He represented Senate District 21,which serves Lewiston,Maine's second-largest city. Libby grew up in central Maine and attended Bates College where he majored in history and economics. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Maine and works as an economic development consultant,currently as the president of Community Concepts Finance Corporation. Libby served one term in the Maine House of Representatives from 2012 to 2014 and was first elected to the Maine Senate in 2014. He served as the Senate majority leader from 2018-2020.
David Miramant is an American Democratic politician and pilot from Maine. He represents Senate District 12,Knox County,in the Maine Senate. Miramant served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2006-2008 and was first elected to the Senate in 2014. Miramant is a career pilot:He flew commercial Boeing 767s at Delta Air Lines and has owned and operated a glider ride service on coastal Maine since 2005.
Catherine Breen is an American Democratic politician from Maine. Breen,a Falmouth resident,is currently serving her fourth term representing Senate District 25,which includes the towns of Falmouth,Cumberland,Yarmouth,Gray,Long Island,Chebeague Island and part of Westbrook.
The 2018 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 6,2018,alongside a gubernatorial election,U.S. House elections,and other state and local elections. Incumbent Independent Senator Angus King won reelection to a second term.
Susan A. Deschambault is an American politician and retired law enforcement officer from Maine. She represents Maine Senate District 32,which comprises the towns of Alfred,Arundel,Biddeford,Dayton,Kennebunkport and Lyman. Deschambault,a Democrat from Biddeford,was first elected in a special election in March 2016. Prior to the Senate,she served two terms as a city councilor in Biddeford and was president of the Maine Association of Police for 21 years.
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) certifies organic food and products throughout the State of Maine. It is a voluntary organization whose office is located in Unity,Maine. As of 2016,MOFGA certifies 480 producers and growers.
Edmund Claxton Jr. is an American physician and Democratic politician from Maine. He serves in the Maine Senate representing District 20,which includes Auburn,Mechanic Falls,Minot,New Gloucester,and Poland. Claxton was born in Massachusetts and attended Princeton University,the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine,and the University of Minnesota where he completed his family medicine residency. He then moved to Maine and co-founded a private practice in Auburn where he worked for several decades. Claxton was first elected to the Maine Senate in 2018 and was re-elected in 2020 for a second two-year term.
Heather B. Sanborn is an American attorney,business owner and politician representing District 28 in the Maine State Senate. Sanborn co-owns and operates Rising Tide Brewery in Portland with her husband.
2020 Maine Question 1 was a people's veto referendum that sought to reject a new law which eliminated religious and philosophical exemptions from school vaccination requirements and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities. The question appeared on the March 3,2020 statewide ballot.
Will Bonsall is an American author,seed saver and veganic farmer who lives in Maine. He is a regular speaker about seed saving,organic farming and veganic farming.
Joseph Rafferty Jr. is an American educator,high school gridiron football coach,and Democratic politician from Maine. Rafferty has been the head coach of the Kennebunk High School Rams football team since 1979 and is currently serving his first term in the Maine Senate representing District 34,which consists of Kennebunk,Wells,Acton,Lebanon,North Berwick,and part of Berwick. Rafferty was born in 1955 and grew up in Woburn,Massachusetts. He attended Springfield College,graduated in 1977 and began teaching and coaching at Kennebunk High School in 1978. As an educator,he was active in the teachers' unions and helped negotiate contracts on their behalf. He retired from full-time teaching in 2018 but continues to coach football. Rafferty was elected to the Maine Senate in 2020 and is currently serving his first term.
Anne Carney is an American Democratic politician and attorney from Maine. She currently serves in the Maine Senate representing District 29,which consists of Cape Elizabeth,South Portland,and part of Scarborough. Carney was born in Baltimore,Maryland and attended Haverford College where she received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). She completed a Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S) from Harvard University in 1987 and moved to Maine in 1988. Carney completed a Juris Doctor at the University of Maine School of Law in 1990 and practiced employment,civil rights and municipal law for 16 years. She was a pro bono In-House Volunteer Attorney at Pine Tree Legal Assistance for eight years before running for Maine House of Representatives District 30 in 2018. In 2020,Carney was elected to her first term in the Maine Senate.
Donna Bailey is an American politician and attorney from Maine. A Democrat,she serves in the Maine Senate representing District 31,which includes her residence in Saco,as well as the towns of Old Orchard Beach,Hollis,Limington and part of Buxton. Bailey grew up in Berlin,New Hampshire,and attended Berlin High School,Bates College and the University of Maine School of Law. She worked in real estate law,family law and probate law in private practice and was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2016. In 2020,Bailey was elected to her first term in the Maine Senate.
