It's been only a few weeks since President Donald Trump clashed with Maine Gov. Janet Mills, but he's making good on his threat to cut funding to the state after Mills refused to ban transgender athletes.
ProPublica reported Tuesday that only two transgender girls are competing in sports this year in Maine.
But the Department of Agriculture killed funding to support programs at the University of Maine — and student newspaper The Maine Campus reported those cuts come after the federal government accused the university of having potential Title IX or Title VI violations.
"While a Title IX investigation was initiated by the USDA on Feb. 22, no evidence was found proving a lack of compliance to state and federal guidelines surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sports," the report said. "The U.S. Department of Education defines Title IX as protection from discrimination on the basis of sex. Title VI protections, as described by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, enforces that no person shall be subject to discrimination because of race, color, or national origin."
Trump clashed with Mills on Feb. 21, the day before the investigation was initiated.
Maine was set to receive $30 million for research and other funding already allocated by Congress for 2024.
The paper revealed that most of the affected programs will impact farming, forestry and fisheries work.
One project investigates how to mitigate synthetic chemicals contaminating food grown by Maine farms. Another project helps build a new industry for Maine by creating a sustainable package using forest-based materials from the state. Other programs are also developing new building materials using Maine forests.
Another project is responsible for the Caribou Russet potato, a breed that allows state farmers another possible crop option. Maine is one of three states "where potato production increased in the last two decades," the report claimed.
Research with agencies is also conducted to ensure the "health and sustainability of the lobster industry," along with salmon and shellfish sustainability. Maine is the largest producer of lobsters in the U.S.
Another farming program helps farmers reduce pests to improve crops for potatoes, blueberries and apples,
Finally, a key program works with livestock farmers to prepare for disease outbreaks.
