Organize and Declare "Food Sovereignty" Like Sedgwick, Maine

[CSummer]

The sense of people re-claiming their power appeals to me a lot. Could be just the beginning!

HERE’S A WAY TO ELIMINATE THE REGULATORS AND LAWYERS, AND BUILD COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME:

ORGANIZE AND DECLARE “FOOD SOVEREIGNTY,” LIKE SEDGWICK, MAINE

The Complete Patient
March 7, 2011

Original Article

Maybe the citizens of tiny Sedgwick on the Maine coast were listening to the calls of Dave Milano, Ken Conrad, and others for more trust and community, and less rigid one-size-fits-all food regulation.

On Saturday morning, Sedgwick became likely the first locale in the country to pass a “Food Sovereignty” law. It’s the proposed ordinance I first described last fall, when I introduced the “Five Musketeers”, a group of farmers and consumers intent on pushing back against overly aggressive state food regulators. The regulators were interfering with farmers who, for example, took chickens to a neighbor for slaughtering, or who sold raw milk directly to consumers.

The proposed ordinance was one of 78 being considered at the Sedgwick town meeting, that New England institution that has stood the test of time, allowing all of a town’s citizens to vote yea or nay on proposals to spend their tax money and, in this case, enact potentially far-reaching laws with national implications. They’ve been holding these meetings in the Sedgwick town hall (pictured above) since 1794. At Friday’s meeting, about 120 citizens raised their hands in unanimous approval of the ordinance.

Citing America’s Declaration of Independence and the Maine Constitution, the ordinance proposed that “Sedgwick citizens possess the right to produce, process, sell, purchase, and consume local foods of their choosing.” These would include raw milk and other dairy products and locally slaughtered meats, among other items.

This isn’t just a declaration of preference. The proposed warrant added, “It shall be unlawful for any law or regulation adopted by the state or federal government to interfere with the rights recognized by this Ordinance.” In other words, no state licensing requirements prohibiting certain farms from selling dairy products or producing their own chickens for sale to other citizens in the town.

What about potential legal liability and state or federal inspections? It’s all up to the seller and buyer to negotiate. “Patrons purchasing food for home consumption may enter into private agreements with those producers or processors of local foods to waive any liability for the consumption of that food. Producers or processors of local foods shall be exempt from licensure and inspection requirements for that food as long as those agreements are in effect.” Imagine that — buyer and seller can agree to cut out the lawyers. That’s almost un-American, isn’t it?

This from a press release put out after the vote by supporters:

“Local farmer Bob St.Peter noted the importance of this ordinance for beginning farmers and cottage producers. ‘This ordinance creates favorable conditions for beginning farmers and cottage-scale food processors to try out new products, and to make the most of each season’s bounty,’ said St.Peter. ‘My family is already working on some ideas we can do from home to help pay the bills and get our farm going.’

“Mia Strong, Sedgwick resident and local farm patron, was overwhelmed by the support of her town. ‘Tears of joy welled in my eyes as my town voted to adopt this ordinance,’ said Strong. ‘I am so proud of my community. They made a stand for local food and our fundamental rights as citizens to choose that food.’”

The ordinance comes up for a vote in three other Maine towns — Penobscott, Brooksville, and Blue Hill.

[ubaru]

Santa Cruz County Passes a Food Freedom Resolution!
Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:03 am (PDT)

Santa Cruz County Passes a Food Freedom Resolution!
<https://localfoodfreedom-nevadacounty.org/blog/author/admin/>

Congratulations to them! Let’s make it happen here!

*County of Santa Cruz*

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

RE: RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO GROW AND CONSUME
THEIR OWN FOOD PRODUCTS AND TO ENTER INTO PRIVATE CONTRACTS WITH OTHER
INDIVIDUALS TO BOARD ANIMALS FOR FOOD

more....

https://localfoodfreedom-nevadacounty.org/blog/2011/09/santa-cruz-passes-right-to-grow-food-resolution/

Liz

[ubaru]

Here's how they did it in Santa Cruz:

Dustin Jensen and Mali McGee with a few other farmers and food eaters formed the Santa Cruz Food Freedom Coalition. Dustin wrote the resolution. Mali and members of the group spoke to each of the county supervisors individually to get their support. Two of the supervisors agreed to present it at their meeting. I know that Dustin would be happy to give you suggestions on organizing in your county.
His email is: dustinjensen@gmail.com

Jean Harrah
Santa Cruz WAPF county chapter leader


I've emailed him and will post his resolution here when he replies. Then we can take it to our supervisors and get it happening here!

Liz

[CSummer]

Here's the Santa Cruz County resolution:

https://milkmamagoatfarm.com/wp-cont...e-Food-ltr.pdf

We may need to get a majority of counties to pass such resolution to have a real impact
on the repressive policies of the state.

Here's how they did it in Santa Cruz:

Dustin Jensen and Mali McGee with a few other farmers and food eaters formed the Santa Cruz Food Freedom Coalition. Dustin wrote the resolution. Mali and members of the group spoke to each of the county supervisors individually to get their support. Two of the supervisors agreed to present it at their meeting. I know that Dustin would be happy to give you suggestions on organizing in your county.
His email is: dustinjensen@gmail.com

Jean Harrah
Santa Cruz WAPF county chapter leader


I've emailed him and will post his resolution here when he replies. Then we can take it to our supervisors and get it happening here!

Liz

[ubaru]

Dustin emailed me back with a link to their site https://milkmamagoatfarm.com/ where I found this additional resolution.

It's different than the one posted above, but may be useful in this endeavor. And besides, I just like words like these ;-)

Liz

Resolution City

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Mali
A Resolution of the County of Santa Cruz, California
WHEREAS as has been the case throughout the duration of our great country, the people of the County of Santa Cruz, for a multitude of reasons, have maintained and enjoyed the right to raise food for themselves and their families;
WHEREAS in our day and age there are many barriers to people raising their own food and livestock, including the land required for such activities, accessibility, time, knowledge, and skills;
WHEREAS as a part of that right, subject to zoning and land use laws, the people have and maintain the right to raise such food on their own land, and where desired, contract with others to rent sufficient land for the growing of that food, boarding their poultry and livestock and hiring services related to it’s care, maintenance, raising and harvesting where desired;
WHEREAS as a part of that right, the people have the right to own, and where they deem it convenient share ownership of such agricultural activities, livestock and other food producing animals for their own use, enjoyment and consumption;
WHEREAS no local, state or federal law bars any person raising their own food for the use of themselves and their families;
WHEREAS the California Constitution recognizes that “all political power is inherent in the people” (California Constitution Article II, Section 1);
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the County of Santa Cruz supports, endorses and encourages the recognition of the right and freedom of people to raise their own food, including food derived from agricultural animals, for the enjoyment of themselves and their families, either by their own investment and labor or through the assistance of others through contractual arrangements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County of Santa Cruz supports the adoption of local, state, and federal laws that support and encourage the American People continuing the activities of raising food for themselves and their families.
APPROVED this ____ day of ______________, 2011
County of Santa Cruz, State of California
By: __________________________

[Moon]

Dustin emailed me back with a link to their site https://milkmamagoatfarm.com/ where I found this additional resolution.

It's different than the one posted above, but may be useful in this endeavor. And besides, I just like words like these ;-)

Liz

Resolution City

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Mali
A Resolution of the County of Santa Cruz, California

WHEREAS as a part of that right, the people have the right to own, and where they deem it convenient share ownership of such agricultural activities, livestock and other food producing animals for their own use, enjoyment and consumption;
WHEREAS no local, state or federal law bars any person raising their own food for the use of themselves and their families;
WHEREAS the California Constitution recognizes that “all political power is inherent in the people” (California Constitution Article II, Section 1);
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the County of Santa Cruz supports, endorses and encourages the recognition of the right and freedom of people to raise their own food, including food derived from agricultural animals, for the enjoyment of themselves and their families, either by their own investment and labor or through the assistance of others through contractual arrangements.

NOR shall any ordinance be enacted prohibiting the use of any part of one's own land not needed for sanitation purposes
as a place to grow food.
(This addition in honor of the Michigan mother who's facing criminal charges for growing food in her front yard.)