Freedom Alliance Advocates for Small-Scale Farming by Sheila Julson
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to advocate for farmers. hile working Although FARFA’s mission as an enviinitially started in reronmental sponse to livestock tagging attorney, Judith McGeary, requirements, it’s grown founder and executive to promote commonsense director of the Farm and policies at the state and Ranch Freedom Alliance federal level for small-scale (FARFA), became interestsustainable farmers and ed in sustainable agriculranchers typically hindered ture. She learned how this by one-size-fits-all policies rehabilitative approach to designed by and for big food and farming systems agribusiness. could regenerate topsoil, FARFA succeeded in stoppromote pasture grazing Judith McGeary ping the electronic animal and increase biodiversity, thus healing land contaminated by industri- ID program. A key issue they are working on now is passage of the Processing Revival alization while providing healthier food for and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act which consumers. When McGeary’s husband retired from would allow small-scale custom operations to process meat for sale. Current federal the U.S. Coast Guard, the couple started an law requires farmers that raise and sell meat organic farm. In 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) came out with a plan livestock to use either a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse facility or a state-inspected that required electronic tagging and tracing facility that meets the USDA standards. of all livestock. “It was designed by and for “Small scale, regenerative livestock the big agribusinesses to protect their profits production has immense potential to help in the export industry markets,” McGeary explains. “It was structured in a way that was our environment, to sequester carbon and improve water quality, but the biggest bartoo expensive and overly burdensome for rier has been for many years now, a lack of most sustainable livestock farmers.” small-scale processing facilities because of McGeary reached out to several farming organizations and found that no one was the consolidation of the industry,” McGeary explains. “We just don’t have many smallfighting the new proposal. That was when she left her law practice and founded FARFA scale processors. This has been exacerbated by the COVID crisis. Large-scale meat processing operations are designed as a ‘just in time system’ that maximizes profits by making things move very fast in very unsafe conditions, so they have been disrupted by thousands of worker illnesses that have led to meat shortages.” On the state level, FARFA has gotten 10 bills passed—five of those just within the last legislative session—to create right-sized regulations for small farmers. Those include a
cottage foods bill that allows home bakers throughout Texas to sell their baked goods directly to customers. Another achievement allows on-farm poultry processing options for local producers, as well as reducing permitting requirements and fees for farmers’ market vendors. McGeary emphasizes that FARFA does not take a blanket approach to reducing regulations. “It’s about looking at what regulations are actually appropriate when dealing with small-scale, local distribution and local sourcing, which carry lower risks. It’s a different system than the conventional system, and there’s no reason to regulate it the same way.” FARFA also teaches advocacy among its 1,000-plus member farmers and ranchers, and to consumers. Their website contains sample letters and tips for people to take action. McGeary notes that clicking a button to sign an online petition isn’t as effective as taking a few minutes to call or write a personal letter to a representatives in the legislature. “If someone calls or takes a few minutes to write a personal letter or goes to meet with legislative staffers, they know that constituent is watching and truly paying attention,” she says. Fighting the get-big-or-get-out system of laws favoring big agribusinesses will be a long-haul fight, McGeary acknowledges. But as more consumers recognize how local regenerative agriculture leads to improved soil health, more nutrient-dense crops and robust wildlife habitats, they’ll reap the benefits of more pasture-raised meat and healthier, fresher fruits and vegetables. “This is not a left-wing or a right-wing issue, it’s not a libertarian or socialist issue. There are so many things that divide us as people, but our bills end up with fun people working together—liberal, left-wing urban Dems pairing up with libertarian, right wing constitutionalists from rural communities,” McGeary concludes. “It’s the outgrowth about what’s so great about this movement. We need to find real solutions instead of drawing battle lines in the sand.” For more information, visit FarmAndRanch Freedom.org. July 2020
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