UPDATE:::::
Please email your comments on this bill to: Mike.Moon@house.mo.gov . Representative Moon will bring your testimony to the hearing for you!
HB 2138, which would allow for direct unregulated trade of farm produced goods, is scheduled to have a hearing tomorrow, April 2nd at 12:00pm in Jefferson City.
This bill is important for food choice, economic freedom and the most basic of human rights, the right to decide what one wants to eat and from whom one wishes to get their food. The issue of control of access and ability to produce food for our neighbors and friends is a huge concern. We say that we are “free”, but we have regulatory controls prohibiting our neighbor from selling us 5 pounds of beef out of their freezer. We can’t buy cheese our neighbor made. We can’t buy raw milk unless we go directly to the farm. We have to worry continually about whether or not we are breaking regulations in providing sustenance for our community. Sometimes, we even get visits from meat detectives running on anonymous tips of “illegal meat and poultry sales”!
The fact is, through the Commerce Clause, the federal agencies have expanded their authority to control every aspect of human life.
HB2138 would restore the most basic of human rights, the right to decide what we want to eat, to the purview of the individual.
I am trying to see if Ron Calzone of Missouri First will be able to get witness forms for the bill. Please check back for that update. But in the interim, write up your thoughts on whether Missourians are smart enough to decide what they want to eat or not, and be ready to send them to the committee.
Here’s the hearing notice:
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION AND LICENSING
Date: Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: House Hearing Room 7
The list of all members of the Committee:
Committee
Burlison, Eric, Chair
Elmer, Kevin, Vice Chair
Allen, Sue
Anderson, Sonya
Bahr, Kurt
Brown, Wanda
Carpenter, Jon
Cornejo, Robert
Fraker, Lyndall
Frame, Michael
Franklin, Diane
Frederick, Keith
Hinson, Dave
Keeney, Shelley
Kratky, Michele
Lant, Bill
Lichtenegger, Donna
Mayfield, John
McCann Beatty, Gail
Moon, Mike
Muntzel, Dave
Nichols, Mary
Peters, Joshua
Rhoads, Shawn
Swan, Kathryn
Swearingen, Jay
Walton Gray, Rochelle
And finally, here is the complete text of the bill:
262.293. 1. The residents of Missouri shall have the right to sell directly to a buyer or purchase directly from a seller any farm-direct goods produced within this state. The seller of farm-direct goods shall retain the right to choose whether or not such farm-direct goods and the sale thereof shall be subject to regulation by the state, any political subdivision of the state, or any state or local regulatory agency. Any seller of farm-direct goods not subject to such regulation shall, at the time of the direct sale, declare to the buyer via a sign, label on the package, or verbally that such farm-direct goods are not subject to regulation by the state, any political subdivision of the state, or any state or local regulatory agency. The buyer of farm-direct goods shall retain the responsibility to ensure the process of production of the farm-direct goods purchased meets the buyer’s approval.
2. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall mean:
(1) “Buyer”, a buyer of farm-direct goods for personal consumption who purchases directly from a seller;
(2) “Farm-direct goods”, goods produced on a farm in this state by a seller and sold by such seller directly to a buyer;
(3) “Seller”, a producer of farm-direct goods who sells such goods directly to a buyer.
3. The state, any political subdivision of this state, and any state or local regulatory agency shall not interfere or otherwise attempt to regulate the sale and purchase of farm-direct goods not subject to regulation under this section.
4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to provide any civil or criminal immunity from liability for an intentional act or an act of gross negligence by a seller or buyer under this section which constitute a violation of any civil or criminal laws of this state.
Truth Farmer 