Maine Revised Statutes Title 7. Agriculture and Animals § 443-B. Certification trademark for Maine products

1. Registration of trademark. The Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall, before December 31, 1988, apply to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for registration for a certification trademark or trademarks consisting of a seal in the form of the outline of the State, the word “Maine” and any other appropriate identifying words. Any certification trademark obtained may only be used on farm products or other natural resource products and commodities, as provided in section 443, produced within the State. Any certification trademark obtained may be registered with the State in accordance with Title 10, chapter 301-A.  1

2. Origin of product. For purposes of this section, the commissioner shall define, by rule, for each commodity group, the meaning of the term “produced within the State” and the minimum percent of the content of any package that must have actually been produced within the State to meet the requirements for use of any mark under this section.

The commissioner shall grant a waiver to the minimum content criteria when emergency market conditions arise which are abnormal to the historic flow of a specific commodity, with the degree of the waiver to be determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall determine what constitutes an emergency condition.

3. Quality grades and standards. Any product bearing a certification trademark obtained under this section shall meet the official grades and standards established in accordance with section 443 for that commodity.

4. Promotion. The commissioner shall contract for services to promote the use of the proposed state trademark.