Progress for Local Food in the State Houses
This is important information that The Solari Report just published about our local food systems and progress being made in the state legislatures, written by Pete Kennedy. This is so critical to the future of our food security, and people need to continue to push for legislation in their states.
By Pete Kennedy
2021 has been a year of substantial progress for local food systems in the state legislatures. Less reliable supply chains, price inflation, and deteriorating quality in the conventional food system have led to increased demand for locally produced food and more concerned about food security. The path to greater food security is decentralization of food production and distribution along with deregulation of locally produced food.
Bills legislators passed in 2021 centered mainly in four areas:
cottage food — Unregulated or minimally regulated sales direct from producer to consumer of foods prepared in an individual’s home that don’t need time or temperature control for safety (e.g., baked goods, jellies, some fermented foods).food freedom — The unregulated sale of most or all foods direct from producer to consumer except meat (due to federal law) including foods that do need time and temperature control for safety (e.g., dairy, eggs, poultry)meat — Decentralizing meat production or increasing access to custom slaughtered meat which is less regulated than meat slaughtered and processed at a federal- or state-inspected facility. There are federal requirements that states must adopt for the slaughter and processing of amenable species (cattle, hogs, sheep and goats).raw (unpasteurized) dairy products — There is a federal ban on the shipment of raw dairy products (other than cheese age 60 days) in interstate commerce; states, however, are free to legalize the regulated or unregulated sale or distribution of any raw dairy product within intrastate commerce. In some states, the only legal distribution of raw milk is through a herdshare agreement; a herdshare is a contractual arrangement where someone with an ownership interest in a dairyRead More
