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Help Us Change the Law milkpitcherGlass
Ask Your Legislators to Support House Bill 46

 

Although Texas farmers can get a license to sell raw milk, state regulations limit the sales to "on farm" only. The state agency's position is that any form of delivery, even a drop point at a private home when the milk has been pre-purchased, is illegal.

 

Last week, in response to a complaint, the Texas Department of State Health Services suspended a farmer's raw milk license because of a drop point. In order to get his license back, he has had to agree not to do any more drop points. His customers now have to drive out to the farm each and every time they want some milk. This problem is repeated for thousands of families all over the state.

 

We need to change the law to protect raw milk farmers and to ensure that consumers who want raw milk can access it!

 

House Bill 46 (HB 46), filed by Representative Flynn, would allow the sale of raw milk by licensed farmers at farmers markets, drop points, and through delivery. The same bill was filed last session, but failed to pass.

 

Help us pass HB 46 this session to protect both farmers and consumers!

 

Facts About HB 46:  

* Would allow licensed farmers to sell raw milk at farmers markets and through delivery arrangements.

* Makes no other change to the existing health and safety regulations for raw milk that have been successful in protecting the public's health in Texas.

* Sales will continue to be limited to direct-to-consumer transactions, as they are currently. The bill does not allow sales of raw milk in grocery stores.

 

Advantages of HB 46:

* Addresses the consumer demand for high-quality raw milk by making it available at farmers markets and through home delivery.

* Benefits rural economies because direct farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk can mean the difference between a net loss on the farm and a reasonable income for the farm family, which impacts the entire community.

* Improves the safety of raw milk by allowing producers to transport it to consumers under safe conditions.

* By allowing a producer to make a single trip to serve multiple customers, rather than having each customer drive to the farm, the bill reduces vehicle miles, thereby benefiting air quality, traffic congestion, and public safety.

 

Please forward this alert on and ask others to do the same.   

ActionTake Action!
Contact Your State Representative and Senator about HB 502 
 

The legislators need to hear from YOU! The chance of HB 46 passing this session depends heavily on the voice of Texas local foods consumers. It only takes a few minutes to contact your legislator, and it really does make a difference. Below are some helpful steps. 

 

1) Call your State Representative.

 

If you don't know who your Representative is, you can visit www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us, or call the Capitol Switchboard at 512-463-4630. The Switchboard can connect you directly to your legislators' offices, so it's very quick!

 

Sample message: "Hi, my name is _____ and I am a constituent. I am calling to urge Representative _____ to co-author HB 46, to legalize the sale of raw milk at farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer options. Do you know where he/she stands on this bill?"

 

If the staffer says that they don't know the Representative's position (which is a common response), say: "I would very much appreciate it if you could call me back after talking with the Representative. This issue is very important to me and my family."

 

You can also offer to send them materials about the bill via email. You can download a fact sheet from the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance at www.farmandranchfreedom.org/texas-hb-46-fact-sheet/.

 

2) Call your Senator, and ask him or her to support HB 46 when it comes to the Texas Senate.

 

NOTE: Calling or emailing the Department of State Health Services does NOT help. The legislators are the ones who have to change the law, so focus your calls and emails on your elected officials!

 

HOUSE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE   

The members of the House Public Health Committee are listed at the end of this email. The raw milk bill will be heard by this Committee, and their vote could determine whether it moves forward or dies. Please make a special effort to call if you are in one of these districts!

 

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE

Please make a special effort to call--and get your friends and family to call--if you live in one of these districts. Some of the zip codes are "split" between districts, and you can also check who your Representative is at www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 512-463-4630.   

 

Garnet Coleman

(Part of Houston - Zip Codes 77002, 003, 004, 006, 007, 010, 019, 021, 033, 048, 061, 075, 087, 089, 098)
Phone: 512-463-0524 

Email: [email protected] 

 

Nicole Collier

(Part of Tarrant County - Zip Codes 6012, 76102, 76103, 76104, 76105, 76107, 76110, 76111, 76112, 7615, 76119, 76120, 76133, 76134, 76140)
Phone: 512-463-0716

Email: [email protected] 

 

Phillip Cortez

(Part of Bexar County - Zip Codes 78002, 006, 023, 039, 052, 073, 211, 224, 226, 227, 236, 242, 245, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255)
Phone: 512-463-0269

Email: [email protected] 

 

Sarah Davis

(Part of Houston - Zip Codes 77002, 004, 005, 006, 007, 008, 019, 024, 025, 027, 030, 046, 056, 057, 081, 096, 098, 401)
Phone: 512-463-0389 

Email: [email protected] 

 

Bobby Guerra

(Part of Hidalgo County - Zip Codes 78501, 78503, 78504, 78539, 78572, 78573, 78574, 78577)
Phone: 512-463-0578

Email: [email protected] 

 

Susan King

(Jones, Nolan, and Taylor Counties)
Phone: 512-463-0718

Email: [email protected] 

 

Lois Kolkhorst

(Austin, Burleson, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Lavaca, and Washington Counties)
Phone: 512-463-0600

Email: [email protected] 

**If you are Chairwoman Kolkhorst's constituent, please be sure to say, "thank you for sponsoring the bill to limit fees on farmers market vendors," while also asking for her support for the raw milk bill.

 

Jodie Laubenberg

(Part of Collin County - Zip Codes 75002, 75048, 75069, 75074, 75087, 75094, 75098, 75166, 75173, 75189, 75407)
Phone: 512-463-0186

Email: [email protected] 

**Rep. Laubenberg is a joint author on the raw milk bill. If you are her constituent, please take a moment to tell her, "thank you for joint authoring the raw milk bill!", while asking for her support on the cottage foods bill.

 

Elliott Naishtat

(Part of the City of Austin - Zip Codes 78701, 78703, 78704, 78705, 78712, 78731, 78735, 78745, 78746, 78751, 78752, 78756, 78757, 78758, 78759)
Phone: 512-463-0668

Email: [email protected] 

 

J.D. Sheffield

(Comanche, Coryell, Erath, Hamilton, McCulloch, Mills, San Saba, and Somervell Counties)
Phone: 512-463-0628

Email: [email protected] 

 

Bill Zedler

(Part of Tarrant County - Zip Codes 76001, 76002, 76017, 76028, 76036, 76060, 76063, 76123, 76134, 76140)
Phone: 512-463-0374

Email: [email protected]  

Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and artisan food producers while protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Learn more About Us.

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Donations to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund are always appreciated though not tax-deductible. Prefer to make a tax-deductible donation? Go to www.f2cfnd.org/donate to earmark it for "public interest litigation" (PIL). Or contact us by email at [email protected] or call 703-208-FARM (3276).   

Please forward this alert to others who are concerned about protecting locally-sourced nutrient dense foods and preserving sustainable small family farms and artisan food producers as well as defending the rights to sell and to access the foods of one's choice from the source of one's choice.