Subject: June Newsletter: Educational Opportunities, Policy Updates & More

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Dear Friend,


Summer is almost here! FTCLDF members have been busy with their farms and food production businesses, and unfortunately, many have experienced problems with local regulators. 


We have been working hard to resolve regulatory disputes in Virginia, Wisconsin, Kansas, and beyond. We have helped members with legal problems involving their farm animals, investigations involving raw milk, and obtaining appropriate licenses and permits.


Members should continue to contact FTCLDF through the Contact Us form or call at (703) 207-FARM (3276) to obtain legal consultations. 


Thanks for reading and for your steadfast support of our mission.

In good health,


Alexia Kulwiec

Executive Director

Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Upcoming Members-Only Workshop: Custom Meat Processing 


🗓️ Thursday, June 25  

⏰ 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ET


Join us for a deep dive into the world of custom meat processing. Our legal team will:

  • Cover federal and state meat-processing laws

  • Explain why custom-exempt processing is a vital option for small producers

  • Share updates on recent legislation and federal bills that could expand options for producers like you

We will also hear directly from the owner of a custom processing facility in Missouri and one of his employees, a FTCLDF member, on what it takes to open and operate a custom facility, their experiences with regulators and inspectors, and the best practices they look for when customers bring animals in for processing.


This workshop is exclusively for FTCLDF members. Not a member yet? Join today to attend.

 
REGISTER
 

ACTION ALERT

The Farm Bill is moving forward in the Senate 


...and this is a critical moment for independent farmers and local food advocates to speak up. 


Our allies at the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance are hosting a virtual Action Hour for farmers and consumers to connect directly with members of the Senate Agriculture Committee before the bill is filed.


Alexia plans to attend on behalf of FTCLDF members and would love for you to join her!


🗓️ Wednesday, June 24  

⏰ 1:00 pm CT / 2:00 pm ET


Read the full action alert and register by clicking the link below.

 
LEARN MORE
 

POLICY UPDATE

State legislative sessions have been active this year for food freedom. Here are some of the highlights:


Passed Into Law

  • Cottage food laws were expanded in Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

  • Kentucky added tallow-based cosmetics to its definition of home-based processor.

  • Oklahoma passed a new Local Food Freedom Act that allows home food businesses to sell up to $250,000 annually without a license and also expanded raw milk and cheese sales from the farm.

  • Oregon now allows farm stores on agriculturally zoned land. Nebraska enacted a first-of-its-kind Agricultural Data Privacy Act.

  • South Carolina clarified farm roadside market exemptions from local zoning.


Still In Progress

Several promising bills in New Hampshire are awaiting the governor's signature, including bills on livestock protection, egg sales, cottage foods, and livestock processing.


Did Not Pass

  • Cottage food and raw milk bills failed in Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

  • Ohio's raw milk bill is believed to have died in committee.


We will be posting full details and updating our online state law maps in the coming weeks. For a complete breakdown of all bills we tracked this session, read the whole article by clicking the link below:

 
DIVE DEEPER
 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

New Payment Option: ACH Bank Transfer Now Available


We are pleased to announce that FTCLDF now accepts ACH bank transfers for dues and donations. ACH payments are processed directly from your bank account, avoiding the credit card processing fees that previously applied to online payments.


When you log in to your member account to pay dues or make a donation, you will now see the ACH option available at checkout.


Please check the box in the online form to approve the account/cardholder and successfully process an ACH payment. If you run into any technical problems with an ACH transaction, please email isaiah@farmtoconsumer.org.


If you have been thinking about joining or making a donation, now is a great time. Every dollar goes further when it goes directly to supporting our work to protect independent farmers and food producers.

JOIN TODAY
 
 

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Daufuskie Community Farm

Daufuskie Community Farm is a volunteer-run, non-profit farm on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, dedicated to supporting local agriculture through educational outreach, community events, and sustainable farming practices.

The farm joined FTCLDF following a difficult experience when a government response to an avian influenza outbreak resulted in the euthanization of hundreds of their birds without warning. The loss shut the farm down for a full quarantine and took a deep toll on community morale.


"Joining this organization has given us peace of mind in knowing that in the case that something like that ever comes to light again, we will know where to turn and be supported." —Iva Steffens, Volunteer General Manager.


Learn more about their work at daufuskiecommunityfarm.com and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.


If you would like to be considered for a FTCLDF feature article about your farm, please email guido@farmtoconsumer.org!

 

That's all for this month! Feel free to reach out if you need anything, and as always, we appreciate your support.

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8116 Arlington Blvd Suite #263, Falls Church, VA 22042, United States

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