“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people,
and eat out their substance.”  – Declaration of Independence

Farming is difficult enough without being subjected to burdensome regulations, excessive licensing requirements and fees, inconsistent interpretations of the laws, and heavy-handed enforcement tactics by government agencies.  This space features accounts from around the country of government roadblocks to the small farmer’s ability to make a living.

Click on titles below for the full scoop

Michigan DNR Going Hog Wild
In a brazen power grab threatening the livelihood of hundreds of small farmers, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is using the state Invasive Species Act to expand its jurisdiction beyond hunting and fishing to farming operations. On April 1, 2012 an Invasive Species Order (ISO) that DNR issued in December 2010 prohibiting the possession of a number of different types breeds of swine will go into effect.  [ Read all about it ]

Farm Stand Forced to Close
San Juan County in Washington state did the indefensible. They closed a farm stand that had been in operation for more than two and a half years because the county recently decided that since the farm stand was "open to the public," it had to meet commercial building requirements. [ Read all about it ]

Preparing for a Raid
When an inspector from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness showed up with a 'cease and desist' order and slapped a quarantine order from the Kentucky Department of Health Services on 76 half gallons of raw milk about to be picked up by members of a local buying club, the club members' defied the orders. John Moody spoke on how to be prepared for a government raid over food. [ Read all about it ]

Straight From the Farmer's Heart at Quail Hollow
On the evening of October 21, 2011 as guests were arriving for the first ever "Farm to Fork Dinner" at Quail Hollow Farm, Southern Nevada Health Inspector Mary Oakes under orders from Supervisor Susan LeBay, formerly a pool inspector in 2005, showed up as well and ultimately ordered the Bledsoes to pour bleach on the delectable local meats and vegetables skillfully prepared by Chef Gio of Nora's Italian Cuisine in Las Vegas. [ Read all about it ]

Farm-to-Fork Farm Dinner Fiasco
When an over-zealous regulator shows up at a farm dinner demanding that food be destroyed as hungry guests await, who do you call? Here's Laura's account written as a letter to her guests who had come to Quail Hollow Farm expecting a meal of foods harvested from local small family farms. [ Read all about it ]

Minnesota: MDA Considering Criminal Prosecution of Consumer
On December 10 Rae Lynn Sandvig, a Bloomington raw milk and local food consumer, received a letter from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) informing her that MDA had “scheduled an administrative meeting concerning your sales of food, your actions assisting in the sale of raw milk from your home in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the sale of food from the Traditional Foods Warehouse (TFW)….” TFW is a private buyers club located in Minneapolis.   [ Read all about it ]

Pasteurized Milk Mustache
So a department that discourages the consumption of raw milk is trying to extract money from those it would put out of business.  [ Read all about it ]

Making It Up as They Go Along
Since the United States Congress enacted the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) into law in 1946, the American people have been bombarded by regulations issued by the federal bureaucracy.  Federal agencies are only supposed to implement laws contained in the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations).  As the following account illustrates, they have been known to make up and implement regulations that are not found in the CFR in violation of the APA.  [ Read all about it ]

Fees or Famine
A couple of farm families in Idaho sat down and figured out how much they would have to pay in licensing and permit fees in order to keep their farmstand (also known as a Farm Market) in business for the 2009 season.  In order for Steve and Wendy Smith of Spyglass Gardens to continue their Farm Market this year, they would be required to shell out $2319.50 [ Read all about it ]