BAck in March 2011 the town of Sedgwick, Maine passed a Local Food and Community Self-Governance Ordinance, since then six towns in Hancock County have passed the ordinance, Blue Hill is one of those towns. But now a farmer in Blue Hill, who sells fresh milk and other prepared foods is being sued by the Department of Agriculture and State of Maine for working without State licenses - selling without the use of state licenses is part of what the ordinance is all about and why it is catching on all across the country.
Recent rule changes by the Maine Department of Agriculture is set to make criminals out of farmers who are growing and processing food to share in their communities. This lawsuit is a serious threat to Maine's growing local food movement. It is very important that we make a stand on the side of small farmers, local food sovereignty and the Maine Constitution.
People are getting organized to protect the farmer Dan Brown and defend both Gravelwood Farm and the Local Food and Community Self-Governance Ordinance. On April 17 the We Are All Farmer Brown Campaign will deliver a petition in Augusta, signed by thousands of people to Gov. Paul LePage asking him to drop the lawsuit against Dan Brown and Gravelwood Farm.
This is starting to be a movement! Pattie Chelseth just introduced a Local Food and Community Self-Governance ordinance to the Board of Supervisors in El Dorado County.
ReplyDeleteI read something about this from John Reinhardt on OCA
ReplyDeleteThey did a rally at the Maine Statehouse!
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