Dear Friend,
Happy New Year!
In 2023, we will continue to do our best to increase positive change in the food freedom movement. To do even more, we will need more members than ever, and are planning a new membership drive in February, which we will follow with our first membership meeting. We are hoping that many of our current members will be able to help in the membership drive.
In the meantime, below are some legal and food policy trends we are likely to see in the new year.
1. Meat Processing Challenges
Post-pandemic meat processing challenges persist after the closure of some facilities and long delays at others. There will also be processing policy challenges to address. For example, FTCLDF is partnering with Rural Vermont, the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and the National Family Farm Coalition to clarify the personal use exemptions to the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
2. Poultry Processing
Federal exemptions to the Poultry Products Inspection Act permit on farm slaughter and processing of less than 20,000 birds a year. While states can place additional restrictions, FTCLDF is seeing state agency interpretations that exceed federal guidance issued by FSIS (USDA Food Safety Inspection Service). FTCLDF expects to work on this issue in 2023 to ensure that on-farm poultry processors can operate without burdensome and potentially costly restrictions.
4. 2023 Farm Bill and Climate Change
The Farm Bill, a series of substantive and spending bills related to agricultural and food-related programs, including nutrition, forestry management, and crop insurance for farmers, is up for renewal this year. We expect climate change to be a key focus, along with policies related to the scope and structure of nutrition programs; supports for beginning, veteran and underserved farmers and ranchers; and programs to address supply chain, price inflation, trade and other impacts of COVID on the agricultural sector.
5. Local and Cottage Foods
FTCLDF members continue to experience state and local agency challenges to local food production and sales of cottage foods. Where limitations exceed government authority, FTCLDF plans to support its members and push back, including potential litigation.
6. Continued Push for Raw Milk
We will continue to work towards legalization of the sales of raw milk wherever we can.
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is ready, as always, to continue fighting for farmers, artisanal producers, homesteaders, and consumers to increase food freedom across the country. We could not do this important work without our members, so thank you for your support.
In good health,
Alexia Kulwiec
Executive Director
