Friends of Family Farmers Introduce Food Bill in Oregon

As anyone who frequents this site knows, our food system is becoming increasingly industrialized, with factory farms quickly replacing family and small-scale farms at a frighteningly fast pace. Using cheap and environmentally harmful farming practices and friendly government policies, massive corporate farming operations are wiping thousands of small farmers off the map (just like Walmart is wiping "mom and pop stores" off the map).

One group in Oregon, however, refuses to roll over and let the industrialized food system win. The organization is Friends of Family Farmers, which describes itself as a coalition of family farmers, consumers, and concerned citizens working to "foster an approach to agriculture that respects the land, treats animals humanely, sustains local communities, and provides a viable livelihood for family farmers."

To that end, the group has just written and introduced H.B. 2222, Oregon's Family Farm Act. It seeks to further family farm-friendly policies that will help small scale farms get food from the fields to your table. The bill would allow small farms to slaughter up to 1,000 chickens for use as human food without state or federal inspection, expand the state limit for raw milk producers (currently three cows or nine goats), establish family farm representatives on the State Board of Agriculture, and more. You can help support this important state bill by signing the organization's petition urging Oregon's State Legislature to pass the Family Farm Act.

But Friends of Family Farmers needs your help to get this act passed. "You can ensure that our farmers have the infrastructure, support, and resources they need to grow their business and fill the demand for local food," says the organization. "You can help create the kind of food system you would like to see in our state." The changes wouldn't cost the state a dime, but they would have a big impact on small scale and family farmers. It would mean that they could expand their businesses to a reasonable scale. It would mean they could get more food to local markets and stores. It would mean they would have someone speaking on their behalf in the government. It would mean a stronger local and sustainable food system for the people of Oregon. Please support this important piece of legislation and sign Friends of Family Farmers' petition now.

Photo Credit: Friends of Family Farmers