eNEWS
March 2010 > Florida Food Freedom Act to SUPPORT FLORIDA'S SMALL and FAMILY FARMS
Florida Senator Carey Baker and Representative Bryan Nelson are sponsoring the Florida Food Freedom Act (S 1900) in this legislative session, which begins March 2, 2010. The bill aims to bring Floridians a wider variety of healthy, locally-grown foods direct from the Florida farmer.
The Florida Food Safety Act, passed in 1939 and amended over the years, has placed burdensome regulations and fees on all food producers regardless of size or style of food distribution.
The Florida Food Freedom Act of 2010 allows family farms to remain profitable and viable by defining a short food distribution chain and exempting it from burdensome regulatory oversight that a longer, multi-layered food distribution chain should be required to have. The Florida Food Freedom Act permits a single-link food distribution chain that starts with the food producer, or the producer's agent, and ends with the consumer. The Florida Food Freedom Act acknowledges that the relationship between the producer and the consumer--including the producer's integrity and the consumer's interest in and knowledge of how the food is raised, harvested, and prepared--provides sufficient oversight.
Here's how you can help:
1. Read the proposed Florida Food Freedom Act (S 1900) - it simply alters existing Florida Statues to better define the distribution chain [strikethrough shows the old words and proposes eliminating those words; underlining indicates proposed new words to the existing Statutes].
There are two parts of the existing Florida Statutes that the Florida Food Freedom Act is attempting to change.
The first is 500.12 which currently exempts from permits folks who make cane syrup among other things. Instead of defining the food sold, the Florida Food Freedom Act defines the transaction chain - showing that as long as the transaction chain is very short, it's exempt from unnecessary regulation. Under the bill, farmers who sell products produced on the farm direct to the end consumer are exempt from licensure. In the interest of food safety, the Florida Food Freedom Act also requires that producers who sell direct to the consumer take the Food Safety Manager Course, an educational program that gives the farmer the tools they need to handle food more safely. This same course is required by restaurant and other foodservice managers.
The other part of the Florida Food Freedom Act changes a subsection of 583.01, bringing it in line with the requirements of the USDA for egg and poultry producers. Current Florida statutes under 583.01 make it nearly impossible for Florida farmers to sell eggs or chicken directly to the consumer. By adopting the USDA regulations, which many other states have already adopted, small producers will be allowed to supply eggs and poultry directly to consumers.
2. Call and write your Florida Representative and Senator asking them to support the Florida Food Freedom Act.
3. Use the Talking Points to write letters to the editor, guest editorials, your own blog, social networks like Facebook, etc. Feel free to change the wording so that it reflects your own personal opinion on the matter.
4. Send copies to Sen. Baker and Rep. Nelson of petitions, endorsements, published letters to the editors, editorials, resolutions and all documentation supporting the passage of the Florida Food Freedom Act. This will help them gain support from their peers.
5. Forward this article to people in your network who want to buy locally-grown food and support family farmers, the environment, local food networks and the local economy.
6. Educate and ask groups you belong to endorse the Act either by
• passing a Resolution [see the model S1900 Resolution] or by
• sending their Florida Senate and House representatives letters and emails supporting the legislation.
Send copies of endorsed Resolutions and letters to both Sen. Baker and Rep. Nelson (contact info below). Possible endorsing agencies, besides local government bodies, include: Agricultural organizations like 4H, Future Farmers of America, Master Gardeners, Cattlemen's Association, Meat Sheep Alliance, Pastured Poultry Producers, Farmers Market Managers, Associations and their Vendors, the local Ag program in your high school, Land-grant college associations/clubs, Beekeepers clubs, and others you may know about. Other possible endorsing groups are groups that support environmental issues including preserving water quality, wildlife, open space and reducing the carbon foot print. Other groups for endorsement are groups centered around food and food traditions like Slow Food, cooking clubs and other culinary groups. If your group adopts a resolution or decides to support the legislation be sure to mention to the legislator that you represent so-and-so group which has xx amount of members. There is POWER in NUMBERS.
RESOURCES
Florida Food Freedom Act, Senate bill S1900
Talking Points
Contact Senator Carey Baker
Contact Rep. Bryan Nelson
Find Your Senator
Find Your Representative