Support Freedom and Opportunity for Farmers in Virginia!
Two important pieces of legislation are before the Virginia General Assembly. If both are voted into law, they will free citizens in the state of Virginia to build farm and food businesses and create new jobs. These two farm freedom bills are about unleashing the productive capacity of rural Virginia and creating economic opportunities for farmers and other food producers. Additionally, they would increase consumer access to foods from local producers. The two bills work hand in glove: HB 1430 is about the freedom to sell, and HB 1839 is about the freedom to produce and sell.
We have an opportunity to increase freedom for farmers and artisanal food producers to produce and sell in Virginia!
What You Can Do!
Join farmer and author Joel Salatin and food rights blogger Kimberly Hartke at an important hearing before the Agriculture Committee on:
Monday, January 28th, 2013
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
5th Floor East Conference Room of the General Assembly Building
Come early and attend the rally at 3:30 and the press conference at 4:00!
Make your wishes known on these bills! Vote on the Richmond Sunlight website by clicking the links below. Contact members of the Agriculture Subcommittee, and ask them to support the bills.
HB 1430 - Right to Farm Act: Expands definition of agricultural operations
HB 1839 - Home-production operations: Exempts some home processed foods from certain regulations
About the Bills:
 HB 1430: Clarifies the definition of "agricultural operations" in Virginia's Right to Farm Act to include farm-to-business and farm-to-consumer sales, especially of ancillary items in a farm store, such as books, crafts, furniture, food and beverages, as long as they comprise less than 50% of farm production or sales. It gives persons engaged in farming a cause of action against the county's state employees and officials for violations of the Right to Farm Act or constitutional rights, such as right to property, assembly, free speech, and religion.
HB 1839: Allows for the sale of foods that are processed in the home or on a farm and sold directly to the end consumer, as long as the product is made from ingredients obtained in accordance with the law and labeled with the name of the producer, address, ingredients, and a consumer advisory notice.
Please support opportunity for farmers and producers.
Attend the hearing and contact members of the Agriculture Subcommittee.
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 Upcoming Event in March
Grow Your Health with Food Documentary,
In Organic We Trust, at Wellness Festival
The Northern Virginia Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation is organizing the Wellness Festival and movie screening featuring the new food documentary, In Organic We Trust. The Wellness Festival also features organic gardening classes and a local foods panel discussion. Event Details: March 10, 2013 - Sunday 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. at Woodson High School, 9525 Main St, Fairfax
Tickets: $10.00 Adults, $15.00 at the door
$5.00 Children under 12 (babies free) Healthy farm lunches available for additional charge at the Wellness Café with catering by Fields of Athenry Farm.
For more info and advance sales online, go to GrowYourHealth.eventbrite.com or call 703-860-2711. All proceeds above expenses will benefit the nutrition education efforts of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
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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. 
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