[Sca-cooks] Virginia Dairy legislation
Sharon Gordon
gordonse at one.net
Wed Jan 19 09:22:29 PST 2005
Does anyone know more about this legislation? What effect could/would it
have on SCA feasts in the state of Virginia?
Sharon
gordonse at one.net
****************
----- Original Message -----
GOVERNOR WARNER HAS SO FAR BEEN UNWILLING TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF
VICFA TO DISCUSS THE NEW DAIRY REGS.
ACTION ALERT
Because of the onerous dairy regulations Gov. Warner recently signed, due to
take effect January 26, 2005,
a.. not only will small dairies and cheese producers get wiped out...
b.. not only will people no longer be able to buy fresh cheese or butter
at a farmers' market or on a farm...
because of the way "dairy farm" is defined in the cheese regulations, they
have set the stage for eliminating individual ownership of dairy animals for
private consumption of milk and milk products.
This has been brought to the attention of VDACS--the Virginia Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services--and VDACS has not been able to deny it.
Here is their definition of a "Dairy Farm" (2VAC 5-531-10 Definitions,
sec.133.134):
'Dairy farm' means any premises where any cow, goat, sheep, water
buffalo, or other mammal (except humans) are maintained and milked for the
purpose of providing milk for manufacturing into dairy products as defined
herein and intended for human consumption.
Notice they do not say "intended to SELL for human consumption," but merely
"for human consumption."
John Beers of VDACS wrote the regulations. The regulations are:
a.. 2 VAC 5-531, REGULATIONS GOVERNING MILK FOR MANUFACTURING PURPOSES
[106 pages] (commonly referred to as "the cheese regs")
b.. 2 VAC 5-501, REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE COOLING, STORING, SAMPLING AND
TRANSPORTING OF MILK [41 pages].
They are accessible online at the following link:
http://legis.state.va.us/codecomm/register/vol21/iss08/WELCOME.HTM
These regulations can be suspended if Governor Warner asks the House and
Senate Agricultural Committees to vote to suspend them, but he must do so
before the 26th of January.
CALL and WRITE GOVERNOR MARK WARNER IMMEDIATELY!!!
The Honorable Mark R. Warner
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, Virginia 233218
email: mark.warner at governor.virginia.gov
(804) 786-2211 fax: (804) 371-6351
Also contact the new Secretary of Agriculture, Robert S. Bloxom
Robert S. Bloxom, Secretary of Agriculture
1100 Bank St., 10th Floor
Washington Building
Richmond, VA 232319
email: robert.bloxom at governor.virginia.gov
and the House and Senate Agriculture Committee members (see lists below)
and
your local Virginia General Assembly Senator and Delegate (see links below)
TELL THEM THAT VIRGINIA IS MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHEN IT
OVER-REGULATES THE SMALL FARMER!!!
Tell them you are opposed to the new regulations which cover the storing and
handling of milk and the manufacture of dairy products. Ask them to suspend
the effective date of the regulations so that the legislators may review the
Department¹s action.
Constituent Viewpoint
(800) 889-0229 Toll Free
(804) 698-1990 Richmond Area
We need to be a physical presence in Richmond!!!!!
The Big Dairy Lobby has people pounding the halls of the Capitol urging
senators and delegates not to suspend these regulations, and we MUST become
a visible, audible presence there also. Please, please, please take part of
a day to go to Richmond and meet with your own delegate and/or senator and,
importantly, with members of the Agricultural Committees.
The Ag. Committee members, their phone numbers and email addresses are
listed at the end of this message.
If you don't know who your delegate and senator are, call your county
registrar or check your voter registration card for your district numbers,
and compare them to the house and senate lists at the following links:
http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate+for+WEmailList?OpenForm
http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteEL?OpenView
Or go to the following "Who's My Legislator" site:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform
PHONE NUMBERS and EMAIL ADDRESSES
SENATE Ag. Committee
Hawkins, Charles R., Chair 804-698-7519 district 19
district19 at sov.state.va.us
Chichester, John H., 804-698-7528 d 28
district28 at sov.state.va.us
Bolling, Bill, 804-698-7504 d 4
district04 at sov.state.va.us
Ticer, Patricia, 804-698-7530 d 30
district30 at sov.state.va.us
Whipple,Mary Margaret, 804-698-7531 d 31
district31 at sov.state.va.us
Hanger, Emmett, 804-698-7524 d 24
district24 at sov.state.va.us
Watkins, John, 804-698-7510 d 10
district10 at sov.state.va.us
Reynolds, William Roscoe, -804-698-7520 d 20
district20 at sov.state.va.us
Puckett, Phillip, 804-698-7538 d 38
district38 at sov.state.va.us
Ruff, Frank, 804-698-7515 d 15
district15 at sov.state.va.us
Blevins, Harry, 804-698-7514 d 14
district14 at sov.state.va.us
Deeds, R. Creigh, 804-698-7525 d 25
district25 at sov.state.va.us
Cuccinelli, Ken, 804-698-7537 d 37
district37 at sov.state.va.us
Obenshain, Mark, 804-698-7526 d 26
district26 at sov.state.va.us
Locke, Mamie, 804-698-7502 d 2
district02 at sov.state.va.us
HOUSE Ag. Committee~~ Phone and EMAIL ADDRESSES
Cox, M. Kirkland, Chair, 804-698-1066 d 66 Del_Cox at house.state.va.us
Morgan, Harvey, 804-698-1098 d 98 Del_Morgan at house.state.va.us
Sherwood, Beverly, 804-698-1029 d 29 Del_Sherwood at house.state.va.us
Ware, R.L. Vice Chair, 804-698-1065 d 65. Del_LWare at house.state.va.us
Louderback, Allen, 804-698-1015 d 15 Del_Louderback at house.state.va.us
Wright, Thomas, 804-698-1061 d 61. Del_Wright at house.state.va.us
Orrock, Robert, 804-698-1054 d 54 Del_Orrock at house.state.va.us
Weatherholtz, Glenn, 804-698-1026 d 26
Del_Weatherholtz at house.state.va.us
Byron, Kathy, 804-698-1022 d 22 Del_Byron at house.state.va.us
Saxman, Christopher, 804-698-1020 d 20. Del_Saxman at house.state.va.us
Hogan, Clarke, 804-698-1060 d 60 Del_Hogan at house.state.va.us
Cline, Benjamin, 804-698-1024 d 24 Del_Cline at house.state.va.us
Scott, Edward T, 804-698-1030 d 30 Del_JScott at house.state.va.us
Plum, Kenneth, 804-698-1036 d 36 Del_Plum at house.state.va.us
Van Yahres, Mitchell, 804-698-1057 d 57 Del_VanYahres at house.state.va.us
Amundson, Kristen, 804-698-1044 d 44 Del_Amundson at house.state.va.us
Shuler, James, 804-698-1012 d 12 Del_Shuler at house.state.va.us
Miles, Floyd, 804-698-1074 d 74 Del_Miles at house.state.va.us
Stump, Jackie, 804-698-1003 d 3 Del_Stump at house.state.va.us
Eisenberg, Albert, 804-698-1047 d 47 Del_Eisenberg at house.state.va.us
Shannon, Stephen, 804-698-1035 d 35 Del_Shannon at house.state.va.us
Bryant, Preston 804-698-1023 d 23 Del_Bryant at house.state.va.us
(replaced Terry Suit),
Please contact Debbie Stockton at vicfavoice at earthlink.net to be placed on
the Action Alert email list. Please call to make your opinion known at:
Constituent Viewpoint
(800) 889-0229 Toll Free
(804) 698-1990 Richmond area
The following bills, HB2295 and HB2405, just introduced in the 2005 General
Assembly, allow for exemptions from the onerous dairy regulations recently
approved by Gov. Warner. The onerous regulations will take effect January
26, 2005 unless they are suspended. (The bills will still be necessary even
if the regulations are suspended).
HB2295 allows for exemptions from the regulations for goat cheese sold on
the farm and at farmers' markets if signs are posted and cheese packages are
labeled stating that the farm on which the cheese has been produced is not
permitted or inspected. The bill also requires TB accreditation and
brucellosis certification for the dairy herds.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=051&typ=bil&val=HB2295&Submit=Go
HB2405 Allows for exemptions from the regulations for milk, butter, and
cheese sold on the farm if the farmer owns no more than 3 milking cows or 12
milking goats.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=051&typ=bil&val=HB2405&Submit=Go
Keep in mind these bills are subject to amendment in committee.
Both bills may be viewed in full online.
Also, anyone may call The Bill Room at 804.786.6984 to request a written
copy be mailed.
These bills will go before the House Ag. Committee and most likely then go
to a subcommittee within the next week.
Please contact delegates on the House Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural
Resources Committee (Ag. Committee) immediately and ask them to support both
bills.
Phone and email lists for the House Ag. Committee members are listed below
followed by the mailing address and fax number for the House.
fax # for House: 804.786.6310
The Honorable (delegate)
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, VA 23218
For further information please contact Christine Solem or John Coles at
434.973.6505 or Debbie Stockton at vicfavoice at earthlink.net
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