I am concerned about food security, not just for myself and my family but for my community and country as well. Over the last year and a half, this covid endemic has brought to light, the many pit falls of our just in time, production, processing, and delivery system. Consumers are slaves to the whims of big, industrial agriculture and the “food safety” bureaucrats. As a consumer, you don’t get to choose what to feed yourself or your family. Should you dare shop outside of the pre-approved food stuffs, you run the risk of exposing your producer/provider to governmental brown shirts. So what do we do? Many folks, like myself, have answered this by doing all we can to check out of the system, by growing and producing as much as we possibly can. However, this lifestyle is not for everyone.
As much as us die hard DIYers would love to see a victory garden and chickens in every backyard, we know that our fellow modern man is simply not interested in being farmers. What all of us are interested in is good, wholesome, healthy, sustainable food sources. Wow, what a modern concept, wholesome, healthy, and sustainable. Just two generations ago this was normal. So how do we ensure this? By truly going LOCAL. We nullify the state and federal laws and regulations regarding the production, processing and sale of ANY food product.
Well isn’t this anarchy? Why yes, yes it is. Anarchy becomes necessary when government becomes tyrannical. Joel Salitan says there comes a point when circumvention is needed rather than compliance. This is exactly what the tiny town of Sedgwick Maine did. In 2011 they got together and passed the Local Food and Community Self-Governance Ordinance.
With this ordinance they proclaim, “faith in our citizens’ ability to educate themselves and make informed decisions. We hold that federal and state regulations impede local food production and constitute a usurpation of our citizens’ right to foods of their choice. We support food that fundamentally respects human dignity and health, nourishes individuals and the community, and sustains producers, processors and the environment. We are therefore duty bound under the Constitution of the State of Maine to protect and promote unimpeded access to local foods.”
I am flabbergasted that this idea and concept has never crossed my mind. Now that I have been exposed to the idea, know damn well I am pushing full force to get something similar enacted. I encourage each and every one of you to do the same! Below you will find the ordinance. Use it as a template and help create a secure food supply network for you and yours.
Gaia's Sanctorum 