Support Family Farmers

[mellowsong]

Tell the DOJ to end the fear and intimidation!
Today family farmers face some of the worst times since the Great Depression. For years poultry growers have suffered under unfair contracts and unlivable wages, which has increasingly gotten worse over the past several decades due to increased concentration and lax enforcement of existing laws, such as the Packers and Stockyards Act. These joint Department of Justice/USDA hearings are an opportunity for justice, but farmers are being silenced by corporate agribusiness who doesn't want the DOJ to hear their story. They need your voice today. Please stand with them!


Please click on this link to sign:
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/cms/sign/end_the_fear_and_intimidation/?akid=130.24910.QZee2a&rd=1&t=1

[mellowsong]

I get my meat, eggs and some veggies from a local farmer. Over the last 3 years, they have told us some of the things that have happened: Such as, cannot label their eggs grade A because some of them weren't round enough; that they must hand candle every single egg, etc etc. They were threatened with a $125,000 fine over the round egg issue. Can somebody tell me what the shape of the egg has to do with quality?

[Katee]

Nope, can't answer that. If it is a determination made by the gov't, there is no answer. They create the rules as they go on. Logic has nothing to do with it.

I've found that in honey & maple syrup i prefer a "lower" grade. The higher grades are more processed. With honey (in CA) it can't get the higher grade without being pasturized.

[EmmaPeel]

I get my meat, eggs and some veggies from a local farmer. Over the last 3 years, they have told us some of the things that have happened: Such as, cannot label their eggs grade A because some of them weren't round enough; that they must hand candle every single egg, etc etc. They were threatened with a $125,000 fine over the round egg issue. Can somebody tell me what the shape of the egg has to do with quality?
I hear the same thing from my local gals that run a family farmers market.
I will support them in anything they ask me to because I know that they care about what they produce, how it is produced, and saving the earth for all our children and grandchildren.

Shape and size does play into it here in 'Cannuck-land'.
They are also having major issues with selling their potatoes in small farmers markets. Any crop of potatoes 5 acres or less, or root crop 1 acre or less, had to apply for a permit from the major grower here in Southern Manitoba in order to sell anything!

I am happy to report that there has been a deal struck this year that exempts small farms from the strict guidelines and acquiring a permit that huge producers must have. It had threatened small farmers from producing for local markets.

Can you imagine? The biggest producer here in S. Manitoba cornered the market and wanted to push out the little organic gal/guy...

[Aaltrude]

Egg grading in New Zealand is by weight - shape doesn't come into it. The higher the number, the heavier the egg. 5 is a small egg, 8 is a large egg.