Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund monitors, advises, and works to influence hundreds of food freedom bills and policies across the country that align with our mission. We have been tracking their progress and engaging with legislators and our members to lend our support to those efforts that seek to expand food freedom. We will be offering legislative […]
Action Alerts
USDA May Soon Implement RFID; Burden of Electronic Animal Identification Will Fall on Independent Ranchers
In January 2023, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed a rule that would require that animal traceability regulations require “official” animal ear tags to be both visually and electronically readable. This rule is part of HR 4366, which is the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024, which contains many items. Please click […]
Increase the Supply of Farm-Raised Meats; Support the PRIME Act and Changes to FMIA
Small livestock farmers and custom meat processors would love to sell more meat locally. And consumers want to buy meat from local farms. The problem is federal policy makes this exchange extremely difficult. There are two bills on the table that will support the supply of farm-raised meats by improving access to local meat processing […]
2023 State Legislative Session Summary Shows Progress for Food Freedom
The 2023 state legislative session resulted in the passing of a number of laws relevant to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s mission, and of impact to our members and their food production operations. Some state sessions remain active, so there may yet be more laws to come, but we wanted to take this opportunity to give […]
Use New Comment Portal for 2023 Farm Bill to Support On-Farm Slaughter
Our friends at Rural Vermont are petitioning the members of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture and Appropriations Committees to add clarifying language to the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The House Agriculture Committee has just created a portal for direct stakeholder feedback. This portal can be used to urge members of the committee to clarify language for […]