AUGUSTA – A bill that would have restricted wild foraging in Maine is unlikely to pass after a key committee vote came down against approval.

Republican Sen. Thomas Saviello proposed to prohibit foraging food without getting the permission of a property owner first. But the Legislature’s Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has voted against the measure, with Saviello finding little support among committee members.

Little brown mushrooms are spotted during a mushroom foraging walk. Staff photo bu Jill Brady

Saviello says he still thinks the bill could be saved by reworking it, and he will likely argue in favor of it in front of the full Legislature. He says the proposal could protect foragers by making clear which activities are legal and which are not.

But he also says he thinks it’s unlikely the bill will succeed. It was unpopular with hunters, outdoors enthusiasts and foragers.