Support the LOCAL Foods Act and Protect On-Farm Slaughter!

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Email Subject:

Dear [Your Elected Official],

I urge you to work towards more scale-appropriate regulations within the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) to support vital small-scale livestock producers.
Please co-sponsor the bipartisan Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act (S.1212, H.R. 5341), which ensures that consumers who buy a share of a live animal are able to choose to have it slaughtered on-farm by a person of their choice.
We need more small-scale farmers and independent processors, but one-size-fits-all policies stand in the way. The LOCAL Foods Act seeks to update the personal-use exemption in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) to clarify that on-farm slaughter of animals that a person owns, in whole or in part, is legal. Updating this exemption to be based on ownership codifies current USDA guidance and is needed to protect the rights of livestock owners, producers, and itinerant slaughterers to practice on-farm slaughter in accordance with their state regulations. A total of 27 states rely on USDA guidance, including New York, and 8 states have enacted state laws in support of on-farm slaughter: Arizona, Illinois, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated how the bottlenecks in our consolidated meat industry limit choice when it comes to meat processing. Currently, the personal-use exemption reads as if only those who raise livestock themselves can access the meat of their livestock through slaughter on the farm without inspection. The LOCAL Foods Act would clarify that it’s legal for non-farmers to buy a share of live animals and then hire someone as their agent to do the processing on-farm.  
Please reach out to the following organizations to learn more about this campaign: National Family Farm Coalition, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Farm To Consumer Legal Defense Fund and Rural Vermont.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your City & State]

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Summary

On-farm slaughter is a practical, humane, and cost-efficient practice that livestock farmers and the communities they feed have relied on for generations. This traditional practice is under threat due to outdated language within the Federal Meat Inspection Act.  The Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act (S.1212, H.R. 5341) offers a simple fix! It will update the personal-use exemption in the Federal Meat Inspection Act to align with modern USDA standards. It will clarify that on-farm slaughter of animals that a person owns, in whole or in part, is legal. It will protect the rights of livestock owners, producers, and itinerant slaughterers. It will preserve accessibility and affordability of locally produced bulk meat. It will build stronger, locally-controlled food systems for generations to come. Reach out to your legislators and urge them to support the LOCAL Foods Act! Please feel strongly encouraged to personalized this message to share why you support the LOCAL Foods Act. Adding your personal touch will show legislators the important of this bill!

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