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ACTION PAGE:
Support Virginia Food Choice, Family Farms & Local Artisans - Contact House Ag Committee
URGENT: House Ag Cmte meets 8:30 a.m. Feb. 1, 2017 - REMOVE "Cow Share Amendment" from HB 2030

Virginia House Bill 2030 (HB 2030) would allow the face-to-face sale of food products at farmers markets or through farm-based and home-based sales directly to consumers as long as the producer informs the consumer that the food product is neither certified, regulated, nor inspected. Foods sold under this bill are to be intended only for home consumption and contain no uninspected meat other than poultry.

UPDATE: The Ag Subcommittee met 1/30/2017; HB 2030 bill has become a raw milk bill.

Use this EMAIL petition to send this message:
HB 2030 - REMOVE Cow Share Amendment - Honor Virginians' property rights.

Add your own comments in the box below and follow up with phone calls to members of the Virginia House Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

TALKING POINTS: You can use any of these ideas to express your support for HB 2030.
    1. The right to freedom of food choice from the source of one's choice should be allowed. Virginia consumers are denied raw milk, homemade pies, on-farm processed meat (less stress for the animal), and a host of nutrient-dense heritage foods produced by talented home cooks and food artisans.
    2. The freedom to opt out of government-licensed food is as important as the freedom to opt out of government-licensed medicine or education.
    3. Selling food does not make it harmful. So far, Virginia allows complete freedom for food items to be given away. If unregulated food is as inherently unsafe as bureaucrats and industrial agriculture representatives allege, donated food for community events should be prohibited as well.
    4. Freedom from licensure is granted to small components of otherwise heavily regulated industries (e.g., elder care, child care, home education). Recognizing the inherent accountability in face-to-face relationship-based commerce and small-scale transactions enjoys legal precedent and common sense.
    5. Food from government-approved sources in the industrial food system typically contains approved "safe" levels of pesticides and herbicide residues, plus GMO ingredients, MSG, and rBGH; people want local alternatives.
    6. Decentralized and locally-based food systems are less vulnerable to bioterrorism. A centralized system of massive industrial farms, with food traveling back and forth across the country, is inherently weak and susceptible to contamination on a huge scale.
    7. Community-based commerce stimulates local economies. Dollars stay local and support viable farm- and home-based businesses, and provide superior nutrition for those who seek out local artisan foods.

Updates 013117 House Ag Cmte [196]; 012417 Del. Freitas; 012317 House Ag Subcmte
Type your own personal message on the subject: All comments should be appropriately respectful and in acceptable taste. If one of your recipients is also a newspaper there is a minimum of 10 and a maximum of about 250 words. Your signature will be added automatically. Submission of this form constitutes authorization to publish your letter in your local newspaper if that option is selected.

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Submit the email addresses of friends to invite to write as well. The way to have maximum impact is by sending speak out invitations to as many of your fellow constituents as possible and encourage them to make their voices heard also.


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