Tell Legislators to Vote NO on HB 385 & SB 509
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, North Carolina Farm Bureau, and the state’s dairy industry are stepping up their efforts to repeal a 6-month-old law legalizing the distribution of raw milk through herdshare agreements. Their allies in the Senate have introduced Senate Bill 509 (SB 509), a companion bill to House Bill 385 (HB 385); the bills would repeal the state’s herdshare law. H385 has been assigned to the House Health Committee; S509 has been assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.
The fight over the herdshare law boils down to who determines what foods you put in your body—you or the government. Commissioner Troxler and his allies believe the government should make that determination. They also believe that the government should determine what foods you can feed your children.
For those of you who don’t drink raw milk, this is still your fight. If the government can ban a food like raw milk that benefits the health of so many, it can ban or restrict other nutritious foods that you might like.
What makes opposition to the herdshare law difficult to understand is that herdshare programs can help some of the dairies in the state’s rapidly declining conventional dairy industry remain in business. From April 2017 to April 2018, North Carolina lost a staggering 24% of its Grade A dairies, dropping from 192 to 146. Many more dairies have gone out of business in the year since.
Consumer freedom of choice and the ability of dairy farmers to make a living is at stake. Please complete each action listed to contact the committees and your legislators. Talking Points are listed below.
ACTIONS TO TAKE
1. Call and/or email Senate Rules Committee members asking them to “Vote NO on SB 509.” Please use any Talking Points listed below this section.
You may contact the committee chair Sen. Bill Rabon (919-733-5963) and vice chair Sen. Harry Brown (919-715-3034) directly asking them to “Stop S509 and Protect Herdshares”
You may copy/paste this block to send an email to both of them AND their assistants:
Subject: Stop SB 509 – Protect Herdshares
Bill.Rabon@ncleg.net; Harry.Brown@ncleg.net; Rabonla@ncleg.net; Brownla2@ncleg.net
2a. Call and/or email your Representative ask him/her to “Vote NO on H385 and keep the herdshare law intact.”
2b. Call and/or email your Senator and tell him or her to “Vote NO on 385 and keep the herdshare law intact.”
To find your NC legislators, go to
https://www.ncleg.gov/RnR/Representation
3. Call and/or email House Health Committee members asking them to “Vote NO on H385”. See the list of members at the end of this email.
You may copy/paste this block to send an email to all of the committee members AND their assistants:
Subject: Vote NO on H385 – Protect Herdshares
Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net; Larry.Potts@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net; Gale.Adcock@ncleg.net;
Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.net; Lisa.Barnes@ncleg.net; MaryAnn.Black@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; William.Brisson@ncleg.net; Cecil.Brockman@ncleg.net; Becky.Carney@ncleg.net; Carla.Cunningham@ncleg.net; Jean.Farmer-Butterfield@ncleg.net; James.Gailliard@ncleg.net; Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Chris.Humphrey@ncleg.net; Howard.Hunter@ncleg.net; Verla.Insko@ncleg.net; Steve.Jarvis@ncleg.net; Marvin.Lucas@ncleg.net; Garland.Pierce@ncleg.net; David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Wayne.Sasser@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Carson.Smith@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; Evelyn.Terry@ncleg.net; Michael.Wray@ncleg.net; murphyla@ncleg.net; Dobsonla@ncleg.net; Lambethla@ncleg.net; Pottsla@ncleg.net; Whitela@ncleg.net; Adcockla@ncleg.net; Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.net; Barnesla@ncleg.net; Blackla@ncleg.net; Blackwellla@ncleg.net; Brissonla@ncleg.net; Brockmanla@ncleg.net; Carneyla@ncleg.net; Cunninghamla@ncleg.net; Butterfieldla@ncleg.net; Gailliardla@ncleg.net; Hanigla@ncleg.net; Howardla@ncleg.net; Hunterla@ncleg.net; Inskola@ncleg.net; Jarvisla@ncleg.net; Lucasmla@ncleg.net; Piercela@ncleg.net; Rogersla@ncleg.net; Sasserla@ncleg.net; Setzerla@ncleg.net; Shepardla@ncleg.net; Smithla@ncleg.net; Szokala@ncleg.net; Terryla@ncleg.net; Wrayla@ncleg.net
TALKING POINTS
1. You want lawmakers and regulators to protect your freedom to obtain the food of your choice from local farms. You should make the determination on what foods you put in your body, not the government.
2. The herdshare law improves the ability of small-scale farms to make a living. For diversified farms, raw milk can be a gateway to sale of other farm products like meat, poultry, eggs, and produce.
3. The herdshare law improves the chances of some Grade A dairies surviving the hard times the conventional dairy industry is going through.
4. The herdshare law will keep more of the food dollar in the community; fewer people will go to South Carolina to get their raw milk.
5. Raw milk has a good overall track record for safety. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture can help in the production of safe raw milk by allowing raw milk producers to use state labs to test their milk.
COMMITTEE – House Health
https://www.ncleg.gov/Committees/CommitteeInfo/HouseStanding/26
Gregory F. Murphy, MD (R-9) – Sr. Chair
Office: 919-733-5757
Main: 252-321-2282
Asst: Anne Harvey Smith, murphyla@ncleg.net
Josh Dobson (R-85) – Co-Chair
Office: 919-733-5862
Main: 919-733-5862
Asst: Julie Ryan, Dobsonla@ncleg.net
Donny Lambeth (R-75) – Co-Chair
Office: 919-733-5747
Main: 919-733-5747
Asst: Pan Briles, Lambethla@ncleg.net
Larry W. Potts (R-81) – Co-Chair
Office: 919-715-0873
Main: 919-715-0873
Asst: Caroline Craig, Pottsla@ncleg.net
Donna McDowell White (R-26) – Co-Chair
Office: 919-733-5605
Main: 919-889-1239
Asst: Susan Mullins, Whitela@ncleg.net
Gale Adcock (D-41)
Office: 919-733-5602
Main: 919-733-5602
Asst: Suzanne Smith, Adcockla@ncleg.net
Cynthia Ball (D-49) – House Democratic Whip
Office: 919-733-5860
Main: 919-733-5860
Asst: Patty J. Williams, Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.net
Lisa Stone Barnes (R-7)
Office: 919-715-3032
Main: 919-715-3032
Asst: Beth Strandberg, Barnesla@ncleg.net
Maryann Black (D-29)
Office: 919-733-5872
Main: 919-733-5654
Asst: Mimi H. Wilson, Blackla@ncleg.net
Hugh Blackwell (R-86)
Office: 919-733-5805
Main: 919-733-5805
Asst: Brooke Mason, Blackwellla@ncleg.net
William D. Brisson (R-22)
Office: 919-733-5772
Main: 910-862-7007
Asst: Caroline Stirling, Brissonla@ncleg.net
Cecil Brockman (D-60)
Office: 919-733-5825
Main: 919-733-5825
Asst: Grady O’Brien, Brockmanla@ncleg.net
Becky Carney (D-102)
Office: 919-733-5827
Main: 919-733-5827
Asst: Beth LeGrande, Carneyla@ncleg.net
Carla D. Cunningham (D-106)
Office: 919-733-5807
Main: 704-509-2939
Asst: Sherrie Burnette, Cunninghamla@ncleg.net
Jean Farmer-Butterfield (D-24)
Jean.Farmer-Butterfield@ncleg.net
Office: 919-733-5898
Main: 919-733-5898
Asst: Winnona Swayze, Butterfieldla@ncleg.net
James D. Gailliard (D-25)
Office: 919-442-292
Main: 252-488-6903
Asst: Monica Taylor, Gailliardla@ncleg.net
Bobby Hanig (R-6)
Office: 919-733-5906
Main: 919-733-5906
Asst: Wes Householder, Hanigla@ncleg.net
Julia C. Howard (R-77)
Office: 919-733-5904
Main: 336-751-3538
Asst: Cody Huneycutt, Howardla@ncleg.net
Chris Humphrey (R-12) – House Majority Caucus Whip
Office: 919-733-5995
Main: 919-733-5995
Asst: Wanda Benson, Humphreyla@ncleg.net
Howard J. Hunter III (D-5)
Office: 919-733-5780
Main: 252-332-3189
Asst: Brenda Bennett, Hunterla@ncleg.net
Verla Insko (D-56)
Office: 919-733-7208
Main: 919-733-7208
Asst: Young Bae, Inskola@ncleg.net
Steve Jarvis (R-80) – House Majority Freshman Caucus Leader
Office: 919-715-2526
Main: 919-715-2526
Asst: Lynn Taylor, Jarvisla@ncleg.net
Marvin W. Lucas (D-42)
Office: 919-733-5775
Main: 910-497-2733
Asst: Thelma Utley, Lucasmla@ncleg.net
Garland E. Pierce (D-48) – House Democratic Whip
Office: 919-733-5803
Main: 910-369-2844
Asst: Janice Fenner, Piercela@ncleg.net
David Rogers (R-112)
Office: 919-733-5749
Main: 919-733-5749
Asst: Misty Rogers, Rogersla@ncleg.net
Wayne Sasser (R-67)
Office: 919-733-5908
Main: 704-982-8003
Asst: Anita Spence, Sasserla@ncleg.net
Mitchell S. Setzer (R-89)
Office: 919-733-4948
Main: 828-241-3570
Asst: Margaret Herring, Setzerla@ncleg.net
Phil Shepard (R-15)
Office: 919-715-9644
Main: 910-389-6392
Asst: Pamela Pate, Shepardla@ncleg.net
Carson Smith (R-16)
Office: 919-715-9664
Main: 919-715-9664
Asst: Gloria Whitehead, Smithla@ncleg.net
John Szoka (R-45) – Vice Chair
Office: 919-733-9892
Main: 910-583-2960
Asst: Beverly Slagle, Szokala@ncleg.net
Evelyn Terry (D-71)
Office: 919-733-5777
Main: 919-733-5777
Asst: Franklin Terry, Terryla@ncleg.net
Michael H. Wray (D-27)
Office: 919-733-5662
Main: 252-535-3297
Asst: Susan Burleson, Wrayla@ncleg.net
Copy/paste Rules Committee Members –
Gregory.Murphy@ncleg.net; Josh.Dobson@ncleg.net; Donny.Lambeth@ncleg.net; Larry.Potts@ncleg.net; Donna.White@ncleg.net; Gale.Adcock@ncleg.net;
Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.net; Lisa.Barnes@ncleg.net; MaryAnn.Black@ncleg.net; Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net; William.Brisson@ncleg.net; Cecil.Brockman@ncleg.net; Becky.Carney@ncleg.net; Carla.Cunningham@ncleg.net; Jean.Farmer-Butterfield@ncleg.net; James.Gailliard@ncleg.net; Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.net; Julia.Howard@ncleg.net; Chris.Humphrey@ncleg.net; Howard.Hunter@ncleg.net; Verla.Insko@ncleg.net; Steve.Jarvis@ncleg.net; Marvin.Lucas@ncleg.net; Garland.Pierce@ncleg.net; David.Rogers@ncleg.net; Wayne.Sasser@ncleg.net; Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net; Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net; Carson.Smith@ncleg.net; John.Szoka@ncleg.net; Evelyn.Terry@ncleg.net; Michael.Wray@ncleg.net
Copy/paste for Assistants to Representatives on the Rules Committee
murphyla@ncleg.net; Dobsonla@ncleg.net; Lambethla@ncleg.net; Pottsla@ncleg.net; Whitela@ncleg.net; Adcockla@ncleg.net; Cynthia.Ball@ncleg.net; Barnesla@ncleg.net; Blackla@ncleg.net; Blackwellla@ncleg.net; Brissonla@ncleg.net; Brockmanla@ncleg.net; Carneyla@ncleg.net; Cunninghamla@ncleg.net; Butterfieldla@ncleg.net; Gailliardla@ncleg.net; Hanigla@ncleg.net; Howardla@ncleg.net; Hunterla@ncleg.net; Inskola@ncleg.net; Jarvisla@ncleg.net; Lucasmla@ncleg.net; Piercela@ncleg.net; Rogersla@ncleg.net; Sasserla@ncleg.net; Setzerla@ncleg.net; Shepardla@ncleg.net; Smithla@ncleg.net; Szokala@ncleg.net; Terryla@ncleg.net; Wrayla@ncleg.net
🖨️ Print post
Leave a Reply