The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) paused all funding to the University of Maine System (UMS) until further notice, as described in a UMS-wide announcement on March 11. The USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the presumed source of this information, explained in an email that there are currently evaluations of whether the USDA should take follow-up actions based on potential Title IX or Title VI violations by UMaine.
While a Title IX investigation was initiated by the USDA on Feb. 22, no evidence was found proving a lack of compliance to state and federal guidelines surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sports. Title IX is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as protection from discrimination on the basis of sex. Title VI protections, as described by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, enforces that no person shall be subject to discrimination because of race, color, or national origin.
According to the UMS update, the USDA did not contact UMS after receiving timely responses to questioning on Feb. 25 (verbal communication) and 26 (written communication), until the news of the indefinite funding pause was broken in an email on March 10, which became public on March 11. For reference, the USDA awarded $29.78 million to UMaine for research and extension in Fiscal Year 2024.
Below is a list, provided by UMS, of the previously-funded programs that may be impacted or temporarily discontinued:
- “Research to understand and mitigate the impact of PFAS contamination on Maine farms, and return land to productive and profitable use.
- Innovation to develop sustainable packaging materials derived from Maine forest-based materials.
- Potato breeding and varietal development, like that which created the Caribou Russet, now the top seed potato variety planted in the state and responsible for Maine being one of only three states in the nation where potato production increased in the last two decades.
- Partnered research with state agencies to ensure the health and sustainability of Maine’s lobster fishery.
- Research and industry training to farmers to reduce and manage pests and improve harvest yields for important Maine crops, including potatoes, wild blueberries and apples.
- Selective breeding, including of salmon and shellfish, to increase the sustainable production and value of Maine’s aquaculture industry.
- Development and demonstration of building materials derived from Maine’s forests, including cross-laminated timber.
- Support for 4-H youth leadership and STEM skill development programs serving tens of thousands of Maine youth annually.
- Education and outreach to Maine livestock farmers on farm biosecurity and disease outbreak preparedness.
- Development of bio-gel derived from Maine wood waste as a PFAS-free alternative to traditional firefighting foam.
- Technical assistance for Maine farms with succession planning and mediation to strengthen and grow the state’s natural resource economy and dependent jobs and opportunities.”
This story will be updated as more information arises.
As of 10 p.m. on March 12, USDA funding is expected to return, according to a new announcement by UMS. Senator Susan Collins consulted with the Trump Administration. She confirmed in a news release that the $63 million in active USDA awards (and $35 million remaining to be paid out) will be restored, thus reversing the March 10 decision to pause USDA funding.
