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The Colorado Local Foods to Local Markets (Senate Bill 11-258) passed the State Senate Agriculture Committee and passed first reading on Thursday, April 28, 2011. Now, your help is needed to pass it in the full Senate.

Please contact these Senators today and encourage them to support the bill. They will vote on this bill soon.

What you can do
Call or email your Senator first to voice your support for the “Local Foods to Local Markets Bill.” Then, please contact other Senators to build support for this bill. Western Slope Senators are marked with three asterisks (***).

What you can say when you call
“My name is ______ and I am calling from ______. I am calling to support the Local Foods to Local Markets bill, Senate Bill 11-258. This bill will:

  • Allow consumers to purchase products made with quality ingredients grown by my neighbors and other local farmers.
  • Benefit my community by keeping money circulating close to home.
  • Encourage fellow Coloradans to purchase nutritious food in their communities
  • Allow local growers to be more profitable by utilizing products left over after market day, seconds, and surplus production
  • Help local communities achieve self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Please vote for this bill.”

Forward this action alert on to your friends, family and neighbors and ask them to contact these Senators too.

Background
The “Local Foods to Local Markets Bill” (SB11-258) was introduced by Senator Gail Schwartz on April 21 and had its first reading in the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday April 28. The bill passed 4-3 with Schwartz (D), Jahn (D), Giron (D) and Guzman (D) voting for the bill and Brophy (R), Grantham (R), and Harvey (R) voting against it.

The bill now moves on to the Senate floor. If it passes there, it will move on to the House, where there will be another opportunity to present testimony.

This bill will increase consumer access to local, value-added goods; boost local economies; and increase the physical health of the people of Colorado while bringing communities together. The bill achieves these goals by directing local boards of health to register growers preparing value-added goods in home kitchens. This is limited to specific, low-risk foods they may sell from the farm, at farmers' markets and through Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs).

This bill also encourages the study of the benefits of local fresh foods to the state through the Colorado Proud label promoting “fresh and local” products. The bill further promotes agritourism with policies for improved signage for fresh and local foods. It also allows certain egg producers (those who produce less than 250 dozen eggs per month) to sell their eggs at the farmers' market following food safety guidelines in statute.

There have been three significant amendments to the bill by the Senate Ag Committee: 

  • the Colorado Department of Health and Environment and local health departments (SHALL stricken) MAY, but are not required to register farmers working from home kitchens, or do home kitchen inspections or other regulation.
  • to appease local health departments the provision for making pickles and other acidified foods was eliminated (and the local health departments are still opposed to the bill);
  • the section was deleted directing Colorado Department of Transportation to figure out how farmers' market and farm stand signs could be safely placed in highway rights-of-ways while sales are ongoing after the Senator was told it would take---hold your breath---$40 million dollars in appropriations.

The legislative session ends May 11th, so there is very little time in which to squeeze in all these hearings and votes. We appreciate your quick action in response to our alerts.

Senator Schwartz is continuing to work hard to get this bill passed and she has told me how much she appreciates all the comments that have been sent and the testimony given. Please keep sending comments---an occasional thank you to her would not be amiss. We'll send updates when we can. Thank you for all you have done--and continue to do--for our farmers, food security, and our communities.
 
Monica Wiitanen
Small Potatoes Farm
Paonia

Western Colorado Congress is an alliance for community action empowering people to protect and enhance their quality of life in western Colorado.