FARFA

*UPDATE* on forced Electronic Animal ID!! A Congressional Resolution of Disapproval has been filed in both the House and the Senate to stop the USDA’s senseless, damaging rule mandating electronic ID for cattle and bison! Yes, that's good news, but there’s a long road to getting it passed …and the USDA rule will go into effect in November if it’s not stopped. We need you to CALL your U.S. Representative and both Senators to urge them to support the CRA resolution to overturn the USDA’s new rule! We've got links to phone numbers for your Rep and Senators, with helpful TALKING POINTS, plus a detailed history of how this mandate will harm thousands of small farmers and ranchers across the country. https://lnkd.in/ggcwCwCj We urge you to take immediate action and voice your opposition to electronic animal ID mandates! PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD: Share this information with your friends, family, and fellow farmers. Encourage them to also call their legislators and voice their opposition to the mandate! Thank you for taking action now! https://lnkd.in/ggcwCwCj #supportsmallfarms #agtivist #sustainableagriculture #americanfarmer #foodsecurity #advocacymatters #FarmersSpeak #agriculture #farmbill

Early Bird Registration is NOW OPEN for this year's Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference! Join us for the conference that brings farmers, ranchers, homesteaders, gardeners and local food enthusiasts together under one roof! August 5-6th (with workshops Aug 3-4th) Texas State University, San Marcos TX Whether you are newly exploring or have been farming for ages, you'll discover proven methods to raise crops and livestock, farm sustainably and regeneratively, market your local food business, support small farms, and learn about the policies shaping our food system. Early Bird Registration will run through July 11th, so purchase your pass today! For more information, view the SFFFS Conference Website and Registration Page: https://lnkd.in/gBQCjgRb

Are you an aspiring or active farmer, rancher, homesteader, and/or local food advocate? Join us at the Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference, Aug 5-6th in San Marcos, Texas! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With classes that span topics of crops, livestock, business & marketing, food policy and more, this is a conference that aims to educate, inspire and provide networking opportunities for anyone that’s interesting in growing, raising and/or supporting local food! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Early bird tickets are available through July 11th, and Scholarships are available: https://lnkd.in/gYjrJKZ5 Presented by the Small Producers Initiative at Texas State University, COUNCIL FOR HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS, and Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance #sfffs2024 #farmersconference #farmandranch #farfa #homesteading #localfood #eatlocalgrown #supportindependentfarmers #southernfarmersconference #foodsystemsconference #sustainableagriculture #communitybuilding #sanmarcostx

Wanting to raise chickens in your Texas backyard? Here's a good article from Melody Jones at KUT & KUTX Public Media that helps make sense of municipal codes, HOA regulations, and how the new Right to Farm Act might affect backyard chickens. FARFA Founder and Executive Director, Judith McGeary, weighs in as well..."McGeary tried to get a separate bill passed to allow people to raise chickens under an HOA twice. In 2023, the backyard chicken bill passed through the state House of Representatives by a vote of 125 to 21, but it died in committee." Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/guVUqxiU #backyardchickens #hoarules #righttofarm #backyardgardening #homesteading

As you're firing up the grill to kick off summer, remember to support the independent farmers and ranchers across the country who provide food for our tables. They have a fight on their hands to stop harmful corporate-government policies like mandatory electronic animal ID and one-size-fits-all regulations that keep small farmers on the edge. DONATE NOW to DOUBLE YOUR GIFT!! Then SHARE to spread the word... https://lnkd.in/gYsQr4QU Here's FARFA Member and Farmer Aaron Reeves at Reeves Family Farm feeding his family and community in Princeton, Texas! #weloveourmembers #agtivist #supportlocalfarmers #agriculture #knowyourfarmer #foodsecurity #sustainableagriculture #advocacymatters #farmbill #farmandranchfreedomalliance

Please send this to all TEXAS farmers and food producers you know... Changing the System is HARD, but Taking this Survey is EASY! If you are a TEXAS Farmer, Rancher, or Food Producer, we need your input!! We want to better understand the challenges and opportunities in our farming and food communities, and are asking for your help! Your input will give us better insights to shape policies and programs that support your needs and the broader agricultural landscape. The survey covers a range of topics, from regulatory challenges to access to land, capital, labor, and technical assistance. Your responses will be aggregated and anonymous, used solely for our own analysis and to advocate for improvements in our agricultural systems. SURVEY -- https://bit.ly/3QMAz58 Thank you for taking the time to participate and contribute to the future of farming in our region. #farmersurvey #Texas #agriculture #landaccess #knowyourfarmer #farmandranchfreedomalliance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a final rule on the “Use of Electronic Identification Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison.” Under this new rule, all official eartags sold for or applied to cattle and bison must be readable both visually and electronically (EID). Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance Executive Director, Judith McGeary, Esq., issued the following statement: “This rule comes over the protests of independent farmers and ranchers across the country – in particular, small and regenerative producers that are vital to long-term food security in our country.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ghj3UKRu While USDA was cautious in the official language of the rule to try to justify the new electronic mandate based on supposed animal health grounds, the agency’s press release shows what this is really about: supporting export markets. The agency likes to echo claims from the big corporations that "international markets benefit everyone". But small farmers and ranchers have known for decades – and American consumers discovered during COVID and the more recent spikes in food inflation – that those massive corporations are the real beneficiaries of international markets, at the expense of farmers, consumers, and the resilience of our food system.

We received an uplifting note from a FARFA member in Austin who attended the special screening and after party for Common Ground...many thanks to Rebecca Tasker for these words and photos, and for her commitment to regenerative, sustainable agriculture!! Common Ground (Movie) Kiss The Ground Big Picture Ranch Finian Makepeace #regenerativeagriculture #farming #farmandranchfreedomalliance - - - "This event can be summarized in one word; hope. The night represented a great convergence of folks dedicated to storytelling of regenerative agriculture and new audiences. Common Ground encourages necessary conversations about our nation’s food and farming system at a level that grants everyone a voice and an opportunity to make a difference." - Rebecca Tasker, Austin 🤠💯

The 2024 Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems Conference returns to Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Mark your calendars for August 5-6, with pre-conference events August 3-4! We're planning pre-Conference workshops for Sunday, August 4, and will also host a special two-day "Profiting from Pastured Poultry" workshop starting Saturday for farmers interested in launching or expanding direct-to-consumer sales of meat, poultry, or eggs. NOTE: Sessions and full schedule are coming soon, but will include inspirational keynotes, knowledgeable and engaging speakers, and a vast choice of sessions under the umbrellas of crops, livestock, policy, business and marketing, research, technology, and beginning a farm business or homestead. Stay tuned; sign up for email updates on our website! https://lnkd.in/gGYae6-m

LOCAL FARMERS MEET WITH LEGISLATORS ABOUT FARM BILL CONCERNS   Bringing the concerns of area farmers to national legislators is vital, and even more important when a Farm Bill is being discussed. This federal bill comes up every 5 years, and details are available here. Topics in this bill include all of our core priorities: addressing corporate consolidation and abuses by big business, reforming regulations to be scale-appropriate, and supporting local food systems.   Earlier this month, through the annual National Family Farm Coalition Fly-In program, we sent 5 farmers plus 1 FARFA staff member to join dozens of other farmers and advocacy groups in Washington D.C. Attendees met with 75 Congressional offices, both scheduled and impromptu visits, discussing issues that impact small farmers and local food systems – everything from protecting on-farm processing options, to mandating country of origin labels on meat, to providing fair access to credit for all, and more.    We witnessed what we thought would hold true... that connecting real farmers with lawmakers would open the opportunity for progress that otherwise may not have happened.     We want to express a big thank you to everyone who donated to last year's "Send Farmers to Washington" campaign! You made it possible for FARFA to be well-represented, and we appreciate farmers Marcella, Marty, Manuel, Pier Anne, plus Agtivist Christiana, for taking days out of busy schedules to share their stories and passion to make real change possible!    Whether it's a phone call or a trip to D.C., taking time to share your story with lawmakers really does make a difference. Sign up for our Action Alerts and make your voice heard on these vital issues! https://lnkd.in/gjdZ2-Er   #FarmBill negotiations will continue throughout the coming months, so stay tuned for updates.