Maine will become the first state in the nation to enshrine a “right to food” in its constitution following approval of the measure by voters Nov. 2.
Question 3 on the ballot asked Mainers if they want the constitution “to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right” to grow or raise their own food. Supporters cast the measure as a way for individuals to wrest control of their diets from Big Food; opponents said it was deceptively vague and might open the door to animal abuse and other problems.
The measure was approved overwhelmingly by the state legislature but needed the approval of voters to enter the constitution.
In 2017, Maine passed a law guaranteeing the right of local governments to allow direct sale of home-prepared foods on site. Several other states passed similar measures afterward.
