Small Farms Fight Back: Food and Community Self-Governance

[marmar]

Small Farms Fight Back: Food and Community Self-Governance

Sunday, 14 April 2013 11:57
By Tory Field and Beverly Bell, Other Worlds | Report


Heather Retberg stood on the steps of the Blue Hill, Maine town hall surrounded by 200 people. “We are farmers,” she told the crowd, “who are supported by our friends and our neighbors who know us and trust us, and want to ensure that they maintain access to their chosen food supply.”

Blue Hill is one of a handful of small Maine towns that have been taking bold steps to protect their local food system. In 2011, they passed an ordinance exempting their local farmers and food producers from federal and state licensure requirements when these farmers sell directly to customers.

The federal government has stiffened national food-safety regulations in order to address the health risks associated with industrial-scale farming. Recent widespread recalls of contaminated ground turkey, cantaloupe, eggs, and a host of other foods illustrate the serious problems at hand. These outbreaks have been linked to industrial farms with overcrowded animals and unbalanced ecosystems. The significant distance between industrial farms and consumers creates a lack of accountability and difficulty tracing problems when they arise.

Small-scale farming, however, doesn’t spark the same safety risks. Small farmers who sell their food locally will tell you that the nature of their business, based on face-to face relationships with the people who eat their food, creates a built-in safety protection. They don’t need inspectors to make sure they are following good practices. Keeping their neighbors, families, and long-time customers in good health is an even better incentive. Customers are also more able to witness the farming practices firsthand. .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/15725-small-farms-fight-back-food-and-community-self-governance

[MrYikes]

1. I would like to believe this

because it gives such a warm fuzzy feeling. But have you ever noticed that farmers in general are republican? That if given an opportunity to lessen costs or raise prices, they jump at it?
In the 80's farmers started using water treatment plant sludge as a free fertilizer (great cost saving) but federal inspectors found heavy elements in the sludge and in the farmers ground. Without the inspectors, people would have eaten food produced on that ground. Without inspectors, lots of bad things can happen.

[AnneD]

2. "But have you ever noticed that farmers in general are republican?"

Based on what? Where are your facts, or is just your observation.

I know many small farmers. Just as many D's as R's. If some are R it is because of some asinine rules and since they think the D are in charge...they get blamed. I can't go into detail in this one small space, but there are many stupid rules. These mega farms by their nature should be carefully inspected. Small farms don't create the same problems and thus should not be held to the same standard.

My brother is a small farmer and he hates both sides equally. Some of these rules coming down from the FDA etc, have nothing to do with food safety but everything with putting a small independent farmer out of business. And there is nothing that would please the folks at Monsanto or ConAgra more than to hold all of us hostage.

Farmers are always willing to give different techniques a try because, they are small businessman after all, but that doesn't make them Republicans.

[mainer]

4. All the small organic farmers i know are dems

"organic" tends not to attract republicans.

[AdHocSolver]

3. I recommend the book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.

In the book, Pollan discusses industrial farming as well as organic and sustainable agriculture.

He discusses the difference between "real" food and the heavily processed foods, the latter being where the greatest profits are.

It is an eye-opening read.