Question 2 asks voters: “Do you favor an $8 million bond to support Maine agriculture, facilitate economic growth in natural resource based industries, and monitor human health threats related to ticks, mosquitoes, and bedbugs through the creation of an Animal and Plant Disease and Insect Control laboratory administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension?”
Cooperative Extension’s current laboratory is not biosecure and Dill said having a biosecure laboratory would allow Cooperative Extension to test for communicable diseases, including Lyme. Farmers, veterinarians and sportsmen said that new animal, plant and insect laboratory would facilitate Cooperative Extension working more closely to promote productive, safe food and livestock as well as the health of pets and game species.