VA Bill Supporting "Fearless Farming" Has Been Introduced

A bill supporting “fearless farming” has been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.

Please call and ask Delegates to SUPPORT HB268 and Senators to SUPPORT SB51

***TAKE ACTION***

http://nourishingliberty.com/illegal-birthday-party-lands-farmer-in-big-trouble-are-the-tides-turning/

Please forward to other interested groups

Please call and ask Delegates to SUPPORT HB268 and Senators to SUPPORT SB51

A bill supporting “fearless farming” has been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.The bill is in the County and Towns Committee on the House side and the Local Government Committee on the Senate side. Please call and ask Delegates to SUPPORT HB268 and Senators to SUPPORT SB51 (This is the same bill introduced in both chambers)

HB268/SB51 Titled: Agricultural operations; local regulation of certain activities

Background: In 2012 farmer Martha Boneta was threatened with $15,000 per day fine for hosting, on her farm, a birthday party for her friend’s 10 year-old daughter. In response small farmers in VA supported legislation in the 2013 session, “The Boneta Bill,” that would have limited local governments ability to overregulate certain on-farm activities. That bill did not make it into law, but the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) established a task force to work out agreeable language for the 2014 session. HB268 and SB51 are the unanimous result of the workgroup. With this law in place, Virginia’s small farmers can fearlessly engage in on-farm activities and on-farm sales without the threat and burden of local government regulation and harassment.

ACTIONS:

1. Call or email all Committee Members and ask them to SUPPORT HB 268 and SB51 (contact info below) When you call or write, please emphasize that you want them to support small farms by supporting this bill: Agricultural operations; local regulation of certain activities

You can use the wording below as a guide for your email (please add your own words expressing why you care about this issue)

“Please support bills HB268 and SB51, introduced by Delegates Orrock and Senator Stuart. I support the right of farmers and consumers to engage in direct sales and farm activities. The passage of this legislation will create untold economic opportunity for Virginia farmers! Thank you for your support.”

Contact info for Senators (SB51)