On December 6, 2024, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) announced a new rule authorizing testing of raw milk for the H5N1 virus. The order specifies: “Upon request from APHIS any person responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility that sends or […]
The Chevron Doctrine: How the Supreme Court’s Recent Decision to Overrule the Doctrine Could Affect the USDA’s RFID Ear Tag Mandate
On June 28, 2024, the United States Supreme Court overruled its landmark 1984 decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 467 U.S. 837, which created what is known as the “Chevron Doctrine,” The Chevron Doctrin called for judicial deference to agencies in situations where the law is unclear. The Court’s overrule of the doctrine […]
July 4 Marks 17 Years of Work for Food Freedom
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund was founded on July 4, 2007 to protect Food Freedom. In the beginning, we defined Food Freedom as the rights of farmers and consumers to engage in direct commerce with each other without interference. Today, FTCLDF works to protect, defend, and broaden the rights and viability of independent farms and ranches, […]
Update on HPAI H5N1 testing of Raw Dairy
As many Farm-to-Consumer members are aware, on April 24, 2024, the USDA issued an order requiring Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 testing of dairy cattle moving in interstate commerce, or across state lines. On June 6, 2024, the FDA sent a letter to state and local health departments recommending that states implement a surveillance testing […]
Explainer: How CAFOs Harm Independent Ranchers and Small Farmers
Farm-to-Consumer’s Alexia Kulwiec and Peter Ruddock provide an overview of how Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) can cause problems for our nation’s smaller farm and ranch operations. Read it