| Dear Friend,
Our member survey shows our Member Emergency Hotline is one of the services our members value most.
The Member Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in the event of a surprise visit, inspection, or short-term notice regarding a member’s farm or related farm business.
We always have an attorney on-call who can be on the phone during a stressful, unexpected farm inspection or even seizure of product.
In the interest of keeping our members and supporters better informed, we provide a regular Hotline Blotter. While we will always protect the privacy of our members, we will provide regular summaries of the types of legal challenges your fellow farmers, homesteaders, and cottage food producers are facing.
As one of our litigating attorneys Suzy Israel likes to say, “Prevention is the best cure,” when it comes to dealing with local, state and federal regulators. It’s better to take steps to prevent problems and stay in compliance with farm and food laws in your city, county, or state.
In August and September, we fielded calls from all over the country regarding a number of farm and food business related issues. We feel providing a synopsis of the kinds of issues we assist with on a regular basis can give our members (and readers!) an idea of the kinds of questions we regularly answer.
FTCLDF August-September 2022 Hotline Blotter
State: California
Farmer member rents a local dairy and was told he had to vacate the property due to his dog hurting the owner’s dog.
State: Tennessee
Member has an unannounced USDA inspector stop in after driving by their custom deer processing sign. Inspector returned in one hour with a write up. Member is advised not to sign anything until FTCLDF attorneys review the document.
State: Virginia
Farmer member received a call from the Virginia Department of Agriculture about labeling on poultry sold off the farm and was told that the State department of agriculture agent would be in the area of the farm that same day.
State: Indiana
Farmer that sells eggs direct-to-consumer was just informed by the state Egg Board that their exemption was revoked.
State: Virginia
Member who sells raw milk herdshares has ongoing issues with inspector who doesn’t want milk to be held at another farm as a dropoff point.
State: Michigan
Member is being told that the number of livestock they have is not allowed on existing acreage. Member would like to apply for a variance to keep livestock.
State: New Jersey
Homeschool family with backyard chickens, rabbits and quail for 4-H has had ongoing problems with neighbors and the local health department. They may be facing a hearing regarding quail.
State: Washington
Provided member assistance with noise ordinance violation complaint.
Besides calls to the FTCLDF Emergency Hotline, in August and September, FTCLDF attorneys provided legal advice, guidance, and documents to assist with additional member legal concerns, like:
- 26 requests for herdshare agreements in MS, MI, UT, HI, TX, IN, KY
- Multiple requests for meatshare agreements in VA, TN, TX
- Request for insurance leads for microgreen business
- Request for insurance leads for raw milk dairy
- Questions about selling raw milk in GA, VA
- Questions about meatshare and custom processing in WY
- Request for Slaughter Liability Waiver
- Questions about food business license in ME
- Questions about products legal to sell from farm store in WY
- Questions about spice business regulations in OH
- 7 Members called with on-farm poultry processing questions in OH, KS
- Inquiry about selling unwashed eggs in CA
- Having problems with neighbors and poultry in front yard in OH
Please feel free to call our offices during business hours with your questions and concerns. Members have 24/7 access to our Emergency Hotline! Remember, we have your farmer's back!
Cheers,
Amelia Martin Outreach Coordinator
P.S. See below for a teaser on our upcoming members-only webinar! |
