Well, I am sad to report that the hearing today was short, and not sweet. Supporters of HB 135, including Joel Salatin and a representative of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, gave passionate testimony that HB 135 would give small farms greater ability to make ends meet, and help consumers have REAL choices, but most important, that this was an issue of FREEDOM first and foremost. One interesting point in the pro testimony came when a delegate asked the FTCLDF rep how many members of her group file a Schedule C, presumably in an attempt to determine if the fund represents legitimate farmers or a bunch of rednecks who already ignore government. Apparently he doesnt realize that farms file Schedule F on their income tax. Then the opponents had their say, and a line of pasties in dark suits got up to name the many trade groups they represented and proceeded to wave the public safety bogeyman with horror stories of plague and pestilence from unregulated milk and meats. The delegates duly noted the concerns of agribusiness and unanimously voted to table the bill quicker than you can say Freedom is dead. It is the humble opinion of this writer that the vote smacked transparently of a foregone conclusion. Yes, Virginia, you can have a CAFO steak with a side of Round-Up Ready corn chips, and wash it down with dead, ultra-pasteurized milk, but I still cant sell you the same grass fed meat and fresh milk my family has been safely producing for ourselves for years. This is a shameful day in the land that gave us Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. The battle lost, but the fight is not over.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 03:29:30 +0000
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