#aroostook — Public Fediverse posts

#Maine among dozens of states suing #Trump administration over #SNAP funding

by Russ Reed, October 30, 2025

AUGUSTA, Maine — "Maine's attorney general is part of a coalition that sued the Trump administration for suspending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

"In their lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Office of Management and Budget and their respective secretaries, 23 attorneys general and three governors claim the USDA does not have the authority to suspend SNAP.

" 'Forty-two million Americans, including 169,000 Mainers, are going to go hungry this Thanksgiving because the Administration is simply refusing to use the billions available to prevent this,' Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey said in a statement. 'It is unconscionably cruel and unlawful.'

"The coalition suing the Trump administration said that on Oct. 10, the USDA sent a letter to state SNAP agencies saying there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits if the government shutdown continues.

"According to the coalition, the USDA has access to billions of dollars in SNAP-specific contingency funds appropriated by Congress in the event of a government shutdown. The coalition also claims the USDA has funded other programs with emergency funds during the shutdown, but has refused to fund SNAP.

"The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (#DHHS) announced on Oct. 21 it would not receive November's SNAP funding.

"According to Maine DHHS, nearly 12.5% of the state's population receives SNAP benefits. State health officials also said the rate approaches or surpasses 20% in five of Maine's 16 counties: #Androscoggin, #Aroostook, #Piscataquis, #Somerset and #Washington.

"Maine DHHS also said nearly 75% of the state's SNAP households include at least one working adult, more than half include a person with a disability, 43% include an older adult and more than one-third include children. The average monthly SNAP benefit for a family of four in Maine is $572, according to DHHS.

"Maine DHHS shared the following information for the state's SNAP recipients:

- November's federal SNAP benefits cannot be issued until the government shutdown ends or until new guidance is provided by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service.
- At this time, SNAP benefits already loaded onto EBT cards remain available for use to purchase food.
- Applications, renewals and other updates continue to be accepted and processed by Maine DHHS during the federal government shutdown.
- SNAP recipients are encouraged to sign up for e-noticing through My Maine Connection, which provides the fastest access to updates and notifications.
- Recipients should ensure that contact information, such as their phone number and mailing address, remains current with Maine DHHS.

"For help finding information on other available resources, call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. You can also visit 211Maine.org. When the government shutdown ends, more information will be available about the future of federal SNAP benefits.

"Maine DHHS will share updates as soon as additional information becomes available.

"Joining Frey in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of #Arizona, #California, #Colorado, #Connecticut, #Delaware, the #DistrictOfColumbia, #Hawaii, #Illinois, #Maryland, #Massachusetts, #Michigan, #Minnesota, #Nevada, #NewJersey, #NewMexico, #NewYork, #NorthCarolina, #Oregon, #RhodeIsland, #Vermont, #WashingtonState and #Wisconsin. The governors of #Kansas, #Kentucky and #Pennsylvania are also part of the lawsuit."

Source:
https://www.wmtw.com/article/maine-sues-trump-administration-snap-benefits/69180395

#USPol #MaineResists #Resistance #ResistTrump #TrumpSucks #TrumpIsABully #TrumpIsAFascist #USPol #SNAPCuts #USDACuts #HungerGames #KillThePoor #FoodStamps #FoodInsecurity

#Maine #FamilyPlanning will close its primary care practice at end of October

#MainePublic | By Patty Wight
Published October 1, 2025

"Maine Family Planning says it cannot sustain its primary care practice beyond this month.

"The nonprofit says it faced an impossible decision after losing $2 million in #Medicaid funding under a new federal law. That means 800 patients in #Aroostook and #Hancock counties will now need to find new primary care providers.

"The law bans health providers who also offer #abortions from being reimbursed by Medicaid.

“ 'The cruel and dangerous law has put us in an impossible situation,' President and CEO George Hill said in a written statement. 'Discharging and turning away vulnerable patients strikes at the very heart of MFP’s reputation as a trusted community provider that has been able to serve patients of any means for more than 50 years.'

"As a result, #MaineFamilyPlanning says they've been providing primary care to Medicaid patients in #EllsworthME, #HoultonME, and #PresqueIsleME free of charge since July."

Read more / Listen:
https://www.mainepublic.org/health/2025-10-01/maine-family-planning-will-close-its-primary-care-practice-at-end-of-october

#WomensHealth #FamilyPlanning #FundingCuts #MedicaidCuts #ProBirth #KillThePoor #TrumpSucks #USPol #MainePol

#Mainers! Here's your chance to help fight #EmeraldAshBorer!

#MaineForestryService - Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Update

September 22, 2025

"Since 2019, MFS has been releasing parasitoid wasps for the long-term management of emerald ash borer (#EAB) in the forests of Maine. These are tiny, non-stinging members of the order Hymenoptera, and they specialize in EAB. In most cases, they will not keep the mature trees already in the forest alive, but there is evidence from other states that have had EAB longer than we have that these #wasps provide protection to the seedlings and saplings as they grow. We are attempting to release them in as many areas with EAB as possible so that they can eventually spread throughout the state, allowing ash to remain in #Maine’s forests.

"As of 2025, we have released these #parasitoids in 20 sites throughout the range of EAB. Of the ten sites that are at the stage where we can start monitoring for their establishment, we have recovered one or both of Spathius or Tetrastichus at five of them: four in #YorkCounty and one in northern #Aroostook. We are still years away from actual control of EAB, but it is encouraging to start recovering parasitoids.

"With the many new detections of EAB in Maine in recent years, we would like to establish new biological control release sites. The ash-dominated forests that serve as release sites can be public or privately owned. Many of our cooperators are private woodlot owners. Ideally, we would like to ship biological control directly to a local landowner or manager and have them conduct releases after training by MFS. The releases take 5-15 minutes, 4-6 times a summer for two summers. We are looking for new release sites in areas where EAB has recently become established. Specifically, we would like to find sites in or near #BarHarborME, #SolonME, #BelfastME, the #BathME / #BrunswickME area, #CoastalMaine south of #PortlandME, and #WesternMaine west of #LewistonME. If you have forested land in one of these areas and are potentially interested in having it become a biological release site, please review the guidelines and information about EAB biocontrol available on-line, and email foresthealth @ maine . gov (no spaces) with the town in which your ash stand is, the approximate acreage of ash, and the coordinates (approximate is fine) of the stand. If it looks like your land would be suitable for a biological control site, we will reach out to you."

Source:
Emailed newsletter

Link to guidelines (PDF):
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/eab/documents/meeting-082020/Emerald%20Ash%20Borer%20Biocontrol%20Info%20For%20Potential%20Cooperators.pdf

#InvasiveSpecies #AshTrees #SaveTheForests #ProtectTheSacred #Wabanaki #Basketry #SolarPunkSunday #Biocontrol