by The $1.5 Trillion Dollar Question: Will the Farm Bill Equal Food Freedom?
I am going to ask you to weigh in on a $1.5 trillion dollar question in the comments below, but first, I have to rewind and share something that happened last summer.
Food Freedom and The Viral Video
Last August, I made a 60-second video that went viral, and in it, I petitioned viewers to call their state representatives on behalf of the PRIME Act, a bill that (if passed into law) would allow me (and small farmers everywhere) to sell meat products processed by our local butchers… something that (believe it or not) is currently illegal.
The Cost of Compliance: USDA vs. Local Butcher
In fact, if I try to sell you this beautiful pasture-raised leg of lamb, which was grown here on my land in rural East Texas and processed by my small-town butcher 15 miles away, I could be federally prosecuted, hit with massive fines, and potentially go to jail.
This is because this meat is missing this: a USDA inspection stamp. This stamp comes when a meat product is processed at a USDA-approved facility with a USDA agent overseeing every step of the processing.
If I have this stamp, I can sell this leg of lamb to anyone in the USA, but without it, I can sell this leg of lamb to no one.
Navigating the Farm Bill
Which seemed like a major win, UNTIL I started to dig into the Farm Bill itself… and found that using the Farm Bill to pass food freedom legislation might be like renting office space in a burning building… but I want to know if you agree… So listen to these facts and give me your honest opinion in the comments section because many of you have asked for an update on this legislation since I posted that viral video last summer.
Understanding the Farm Bill: Historical Context
The first Farm Bill was constructed in 1933 as part of FDR’s New Deal, in response to the economic collapse of the Great Depression and the simultaneous agricultural collapse during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. To this point, agricultural subsidies did not exist, and the USDA’s power was largely limited to seed collection and the distribution of information. The Farm Bill of 1933, otherwise known as the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, was aimed at regulating commodity (which is mostly grain) prices by subsidizing farmers to grow or not grow certain crops based on projected market demand. It also granted the USDA a huge amount of power as the USDA largely became the intermediary agency through which a massive amount of funding flowed.
The Modern Farm Bill: A Fiscal Giant
The Farm Bill has become a true behemoth over the past 100 years. From a dollars standpoint, the Farm Bill is now the second largest piece of legislation regularly passed by the US govt. The 2023 farm bill proposed a spending budget of $1.5 trillion over the course of 5 years, up from roughly $800 Billion in 2018.
But I found out that only 10-15% of these funds are directly designated to farmers.
So something like the PRIME ACT, which is actually asking the USDA to not be involved in local meat processing, might not work so great.
The Influence of Special Interests: A Disturbing Reality
The article goes on to cite that “Rather than solving agricultural problems, the Farm Bill ‘artificially, arbitrarily and harmfully distorts a beneficial exchange of goods and services. Instead, we get political gamesmanship controlled by special interests who pay for access to politicians using the excess profits they’ve earned from their government-granted privilege.”
A Dilemma: To Engage or to Protest?
So, this is the $1.5 trillion question that I want you to answer: Should we participate in the Farm Bill by trying to cobble together favorable legislation for food freedom, or should we protest the Farm Bill in favor of a total remapping of legislation; maybe spending a little less based on the fact that the USA is running a $1 trillion per year budget deficit?
Reflecting on Personal Stance: Reconsidering Support
For me personally, what I know of the Farm Bill now has me retracting my support of pursuing favorable legislation for my small farm through it. I realize that if the Farm Bill passes, a majority of the funding will go to 4-letter agencies who are, willfully or not, making it increasingly difficult for local farmers to thrive.
Your Voice Matters: Vote Below
Vote below, and I’ll be interested in your opinion.
What happened to the 2023 Farm Bill?
For those wondering: The 2023 Farm Bill never passed, and all hopes for progress with the PRIME Act died with it. Currently, the US Govt. has sort of extended the 2018 Farm Bill, and funds are continuing to flow under 2018’s legislative framework.
Grace,
We don’t have the money or a representative organization with the money necessary to influence congress the way special interest groups and big food can. It won’t get done through the “traditional” lobbying.
Eric Hanson
A & E Ag.
Our nation needs help! Fortunately the prophecies indicate that a clean-up is coming. But unfortunately it will involve civil war, the collapse of the US dollar, and the destruction of our federal government. When that day comes, and there is evidence to prove it may be later this year, the Lord has a plan like he always does, so that commerce may continue among His people. The Relief Mine in Utah will begin minting honest money in the form of gold coins, just as the dollar will be crashing. All banks will close. All of these prophecies come from a man named Bishop Koyle, who lived over 100 years ago. Read his list of fulfilled prophecies, which are a mile long, along with the few remaining unfulfilled ones, at ReliefMine.com. Trust me, there is hope in all this mess!
Anything the Government has there hand in is not going to be good for the small Farmers/ Businesses whose just trying to ma little profit. If your business starts to get a gain a Profit then they will want to investigate your business. Instead of trying to get a bill passed through congress in Washington we should focus more on our local government and then send our complaints to Austin for Governor Abbott to sign into Texas Law!Thanks Grace for letting me state my opinion. Gods Blessings for all!-Jerry M
If you read “Cracking The Code The Fascinating Truth About Taxation in America” (now free at LostHorizons.com), you’ll learn not only how to exercise your power of the purse, but also you’ll learn how power hungry Progressive’s and Communist infiltrators insidiously craft laws with carefully hidden legal terms to deceive the masses into thinking that God-given rights are somehow illegal. And once you learn their mendacious patterns, you’ll learn what to look for to expose their Achilles heal in other areas of law and legal deception. No matter how convincing it appears on the surface that it’s somehow illegal to produce healthy meat on your farm and sell it to your next door neighbor or your neighbor on one of the coasts, I fully trust that if a similar deep dive is done on the USDA’s actual authority, as was done by Pete Hendrickson regarding the IRS’s taxing authority, you’ll find also that the USDA is nothing more than another giant paper tiger whose jurisdiction is severely limited only to federal entities.
I believe that when it comes to making things better for the people you have to start somewhere with something. It may not be perfect or even desirable, but you pivot and and make it improved in the next instances. Unfortunately we have to work within certain confines, but I hope that within the wording if it gets passed we will make more steps forward and better changes next time. Keep moving to a brighter future!
Forgive me Grace, this is going to be a long comment.
I believe in a little different way all together, and in turn most people may not agree with me on this.
I do not believe any help from the Gov is a good idea, dealing with the Gov is literally like dealing with demons.
So, as God’s word says, I respect the Gov, but I do not do what it wants. A little on that latter.
I think, Sister, the best thing if the Gov was to get involved, would be to have a law passed that simply gave rights to farmers to sell meat that was either possessed at a butcher (non Communist inspected) or by yourself. And have the protection to not get sued if someone gets sick.
The 4 letter word branch of the Gov is far over the top a power grab and what not, which I do not see changing soon or ever.
They can still be over the big butchers so they stay “in line” but a person who butchers under a set number _______ would not be required by law to have a person to inspect. With that said the number is the gray point to which would tip someone one way or an other.
That way there is no abusing the law and getting rich off of it.
I do not believe in getting money from the Gov, to me personally, as a opinion, I feel like it is casting your lot in with the devil because your allowing yourself to be chained and hooked to the Gov wrist.
For many years there has been a system that has worked, and I believe will continue to work, and the Gov has not been able to stop it.
But it has limits on to how many people you can reach that is trustworthy.
And I believe this system is the only true way of freedom.
With freedom comes risk of punishment, just ask the founders of this country.
And for some people the risk will be higher then others, but each person has to make that choice.
Gods word says to respect the Gov for they are not given the sword in vain Rom 13, 1 P 2:17
But when a Gov steps beyond there rights, and persecutes us, then I believe we have the right to do stuff (mainly like this and a few other things along this same topic line) out of the eyes of the Gov.
As you notice, I do not say throw it in the Gov face or to throw down the Gov or such as many want to do today. For God has set up each Gov, Rom 13:1, even as wicked and sinful as many are today and will continue to be. The point is to show us we NEED Him, not the Gov.
Our brothers and sisters under Nero and many others faced far more and still they did not try and throw down the Gov, they tried to live in hiding, and do stuff out of line of site. I think it has come to the start of that in some ways again.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this all sister, whether you agree or not. I appreciate all the videos and emails you do.
Hi!
I think we need a new bill completely! How do we protest or gain enough financial support to do this? I’m not sure! Maybe make the states have their own, but this could be a huge mess. I have a hard time believing the government will change anything to support individual farmers. Corporations have more rights than individuals in our legal system. It’s very sad and frustrating! It definitely isn’t in a small to medium farms best interest. We should be able to support tradesmen or butchers locally. In Utah we have to have a slay wagon person come kill and prepare the animal for butchers, then find a butcher that has space to cut the meat to the customers satisfaction. I hope someone smarter with more experience has better ideas!