Reducing Regulatory Burdens on Small Livestock Producers Selling Directly to Consumers

[Honesty]

Introduction:

As a small livestock business, we are dedicated to providing our community with high-quality, locally raised products. However, current regulations create significant barriers to selling directly to consumers, limiting our ability to grow and meet the needs of our customers. We believe that reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on small livestock producers will support local economies, improve food access, and create opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices.

Proposal:

We propose a reduction in regulations for small-scale livestock producers, particularly concerning direct-to-consumer sales. This could include:

1. Simplifying Food Safety Regulations:

While food safety is paramount, many of the regulations designed for large-scale operations are applied uniformly to small producers, creating unnecessary costs and administrative hurdles. We propose tailored food safety guidelines that consider the lower volume and local nature of small operations.

2. Allowing On-Farm Processing:

Small producers should be able to process and sell their products directly from the farm without the need for costly external facilities. This could be regulated through state inspections or certification processes that ensure safety without imposing undue financial burdens.

3. Creating Localized Inspection Standards:

Federal standards, while important, often overlook regional agricultural differences. Localized inspection and regulatory standards would allow small businesses to operate more freely while maintaining food safety and animal welfare.

4. Expanding Access to Direct Sales Opportunities:

Policies should encourage and support direct sales from farms to consumers through farmers’ markets, online platforms, and other direct sales channels. Reducing restrictions on these sales would enable more customers to access fresh, locally produced meat and dairy.

Impact:

By implementing these changes, we believe small livestock producers can:

• Expand consumer access to fresh, locally produced goods.

• Foster sustainable, ethical farming practices that are responsive to local needs.

• Strengthen rural economies by keeping revenue within local communities.

• Increase transparency and trust between farmers and consumers through direct relationships.

Conclusion:

Small livestock businesses are essential to the health and vitality of rural communities and local food systems. We urge policymakers to consider reducing the regulatory burden on small producers so that we can continue to thrive, serve our communities, and contribute to a sustainable future for American agriculture.

[MrsFarmerJenkins (Kelsea Jenkins)]

I support reducing regulatory burdens on small livestock producers because it would allow local farmers like me, who sell eggs directly to consumers at a farm stand, to operate more efficiently without compromising food safety. The current regulations are tailored for large-scale operations, making it costly and difficult for small producers to thrive. By streamlining these rules, we can expand direct sales, meet local demand for fresh products, and support the growth of small farms in our communities while maintaining high standards of quality.

[Calamata (Zee)]

Three additional points on small farm/ag food production.

1) Raw Milk: Theres a great deal of variance from state to state on the sale of raw milk. In many areas its illegal to sell raw milk, and people seeking it have to do things like buy a cow share, or buy it under the radar. There are a great many people who appreciate the health benefits from raw milk (and related products) and are denied the right to choose what works best for themselves. This should be a PERSONAL decision, and we should be restored our rights to make these kinds of decisions for ourselves and our families. We should NOT be prevented from choosing what we eat by overreaching nanny-state regulation. Solution: The federal regulation should be revised so that states may NOT prohibit the sale of raw and naturally produced products such as raw milk, and recognizing the NATURAL RIGHT of citizens to make their own decisions regarding what they eat and feed their families.

2) Herd / Flock Destruction: There are many accounts over many years of destruction of herds of livestock or flocks of poultry based on limited testing, in some cases a single animal in the herd, and using tests that may have false positives. In these cases, dozens to thousands of animals were destroyed, sometimes decimating rare and endangered breed genetics. The heavy-handed process, especially where livestock is destroyed without an opportunity for re-testing, quarantine, or other methods that could have preserved valuable genetics is tragic. In addition, the inhumane methods of slaughter and the loss of the entire economic base for the farm / family has catastrophic consequences for the farmer’s livelihoods and emotional survival. Solution: Reduce the scope and power of the regulation and remove the decision from the regulators. The decision on testing, management, treatment, quarantine, preservation of livestock and genetics, and (if necessary) destruction should be made by farmer and their vetinary professionals.

3) Abusive Application of Regulation: There are many cases of abusive application of animal welfare regulations. In one local case, a hobby rabbit breeder was fined MULTIPLE MILLIONS of dollars because his rabbit cages were 1/4" too small. In exchange for a reduction to a several-hundred-thousand dollar fine, he was asked to accept a judgement preventing him from ever owning any animal again IN HIS LIFETIME. This was an obscene missapplication of regulation, and a totally inappropriate use of federal funds. It took the intervention of a congressional representative to have the prosecution and fines dropped. There are many cases where egregious abuse of federal regulation - not LAW, but regulation without benefit of law - where tax dollars are used to abuse citizens. The problem here is two fold - excessive non-law bureaucratic regulation, and no common-sense application and governorship of the enforcement. It’s not clear how something like multi-million dollar fines for a hobby rabbit breeder was deemed acceptable, but that absolutely should be shut down, and reducing the regulatory structure and overreach would go a long way towards eliminating that. Solution: Reduce the scope and power of the regulation and remove the decision from the regulators. The decision on management, treatment, and care should be made by the breeder / farmer and their veterinary professionals.