9/19 Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act Introduced!

WE HAVE BIG NEWS! Please join us in celebrating a huge milestone toward protecting on-farm slaughter at home in Vermont and nationwide. Last week, the Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act was introduced in the US Senate!

On September 19th, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in introducing S.5106 the LOCAL Foods Act, which codifies current USDA guidance and allows consumers to buy live animals from producers and designate agents to handle the slaughter and processing of their meat.

In 2022, Rural Vermont launched this federal campaign after on-farm slaughter practitioners were subject to mixed messages and punitive requirements from state officials, even after the legislature had secured on-farm slaughter in Vermont law in perpetuity and doubled the allowances for animals slaughtered on the farm as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have been working closely with our core coalition partners National Family Farm Coalition, Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance, and Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund to align USDA guidance and federal statute.

Thank you to everyone who has made calls, left messages, and testified in support of on-farm slaughter over many years. It's because of this people power that we've made it this far. We've got plenty more to do, but for now, let's celebrate what we've already accomplished together!

What's Next? THANK YOUs!

Show some appreciation to Senator Welch* for introducing the LOCAL Foods Act, to Senators Sanders & Booker for co-sponsoring it, and to Secretary Tebbetts of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) for endorsing this pathway to seek clarity in federal law. We are grateful for their leadership and support of this federal change that will protect farmers, itinerant slaughterers, and their customers!

  • Email Senator Peter Welch here.

  • Email Senator Bernie Sanders here.

  • Email Senator Cory Booker here.

  • Call Secretary Anson Tebbetts through the VAAFM Meat Inspection Division at 802.828.2426.

*From Senator Welch's press release:
“For generations, Vermonters have depended on their neighbors for locally-grown produce and farm-fresh meat. However, regulations tailored toward large-scale farms have made it harder for smaller farms to sell in their own communities. Keeping our small-scale producers competitive means cutting through red tape to help them compete with companies that have massive operations,” said Senator Welch. “This bill will update federal guidelines to better support Vermont-sized producers, keep our food local, and strengthen our food systems.”

Rural Vermont