Do you LOVE Farmer’s Markets and participate in your local market as a producer or a consumer?
Today I want to talk about ways you can help promote and support your local agricultural economy especially in Colorado. If passed, Colorado would join nearly 20 other states (plus 5 pending!) who already support cottage industry food production.
A bill recently introduced in the Colorado Senate would increase consumer access to local fresh and value-added agricultural products by permitting home and community kitchens to easily register to legally produce and sell low-risk foods.
The goal is to encourage local farmers and small producers as entrepreneurs to spur economic development in Colorado communities.
Provisions in the bill include:
- It will allow consumers to purchase these products made with quality ingredients grown by their neighbors and other local farmers.
- It will benefit our communities by keeping money circulating close to home.
- It will encourage Coloradans to purchase nutritious food in their communities
- It will allow local growers to be more profitable by utilizing products left over after market day, seconds, and surplus production
- It will help local communities achieve self-sufficiency and sustainability
- It will reduce the number of miles food is transported from farm to fork
In Colorado and in other states it is now it’s up to us. We must contact our Senators and Congressman by phone or email—letters will not arrive in time.
I would love to hear from those of you in other states who have successfully passed or benefited from similar legislation.
In Colorado:
1) Contact all members of the Senate Agriculture Committee to voice your support. Please thank Senator Schwartz in Colorado, the Ag Committee Chair, for crafting/sponsoring this bill.
2) The Senate Ag Committee will hear this bill in Denver Thursday, April 28th at 1:30 PM. If you can testify let Senator Schwartz know. (Contact info in her email attached below.) If you want to carpool from the Western Slope, please let me know as well.
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