ON-FARM SLAUGHTER

The Vermont Law on On-Farm Slaughter (OFS) of livestock was passed with Act 83, 2013, about a decade ago. Much longer does Rural Vermont’s advocacy and action persist to have publicly recognized that what is a heritage practice is perfectly legal. Stakeholders address that it’s important for their animals, business, and sanity to be able to promote their practice, reach their market and know themselves to be in compliance with the law. We recognize that we succeeded with living our food sovereignty by defining our own agriculture system by changing our state law in 2013, and improvements from 2019, and 2021. We also recognize that discretion of a state agency includes the ability to interpret the law in ways that render an established legal practice impractical. In January 2022, farmers who practice On-Farm Slaughter (OFS) and who had previously registered with the State for the OFS of livestock received an email from VAAFM stating that, per USDA requirement, “in order to qualify for the personal exemption, the owner(s) of the animal  [not the farmer, but the owner of the animal who will be receiving the meat]  has to conduct the slaughter and/or be present if they hire an itinerant slaughterer.” A restriction that stakeholders call-out as new and unfeasible in a joint legislative hearing with both VT ag committees in March (watch recording here).  In partnership with the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a working group of OFS stakeholders, and other allies, we are continuing to protect and advocate for resilient small scale meat supply chains that include a feasible pathway for the slaughter of livestock on the farm where it was raised.

Every year we are offering slaughter and processing workshops with itinerant slaughterers and local farmers and butchers and a diversity of livestock and poultry. We actively seek further opportunities to invest more into the education of the next generation of livestock managers, butchers, slaughterers and other meat processors. We continue to be in direct outreach to stakeholders in the on-farm slaughter community, and to advocate for addressing the increased demand for local meat and the related capacity issues for meat processing.

Rural Vermont encourages practitioners to continue to express their food sovereignty by practicing on-farm slaughter – it’s the law. If you are currently or aspiring to sell livestock alive for on-farm slaughter and want to get involved, contact caroline@ruralvermont.org.