Paul LePage calling special session over food sovereignty law

Maine Governor Paul LePage talks with reporters at a meeting of New England governors and Eastern Canadian premiers in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. LePage has caled a special session to address potential problems with Maine’s food sovereignty laws. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP)

AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he’s calling lawmakers back to Augusta over the food sovereignty law.

LePage told legislative leaders in a letter dated Tuesday that a special session is necessary before the law takes effect on Nov. 1 because of objections from the federal government.

The law allows for local regulation of food instead of the state and federal government. LePage said that meat and poultry must be exempted so state officials can continue to regulate those products. If not, he said the federal government will step in to regulate them.

LePage also says lawmakers need to restore funding for the Maine Office of Geographic Information System, which is responsible for mapping activities that support a range of state services. Funding was inadvertently removed in the legislative process.