NAIS: Putting Local Ranchers Out of Business

Seems Congress is now trying to help the US Department of Agriculture make what has been billed as a voluntary system, mandatory, and in the process shut small farmers and ranchers out of the farm-to-school program. The system is the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) which is a USDA plan to electronically track every livestock animal in the country (an ill-conceived, bureaucratic nightmare that masquerades as a food safety measure).

Today, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a provision of the 2009 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that was introduced last week by Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). It would require all meat products for the school lunch program be purchased only from livestock premises registered with NAIS. Long story short: The extra cost NAIS imposes on small ranchers and farmers will in many cases put them out of business and out of the farm-to-school program.

Ironically, the farm-to-school program is all about improving children's nutrition while providing family farms with a reliable market.

A lot of groups are opposed and are trying to get the measure defeated. If you're interested in supporting local agriculture (and if you're a Slow Foodie you probably are), you owe it to yourself to get smart on NAIS and actively oppose it.

Here are some good sources:

The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. Based in Austin, it's a leader in the fight against NAIS.
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, which is filing suit against the USDA to halt the implementation of NAIS.

The Farm Bill

Food is the basis of our economy, our culture and our society. Slow Food is aiming for a food system that is good, clean and fair. Farmers are at the heart of Slow Food. The Farm Bill that is currently being conferenced between the House and Senate is essential in providing for the future success of small and beginning farmers and the future of our food.

What are the big gains in the Farm Bill?
· $2 billion over 5 years for the Conservation Stewardship Program to assist farmers making a commitment with environmental outcomes

· Strong livestock reforms: providing steps to stop unfair contract practices between ranchers and meatpackers

· Mandatory funding for Sustainable Agriculture Coalition programs such as:
o $40 M for Organic Farming Research
o $30 M for Farmer’s Market Promotion programs
o $22 M for Organic Certification Cost-sharing programs

· Important Policy changes:
o “Sodsaver” provision to discourage cropping on native praire
o Reduced interest rate and better terms for beginning Farmer and Rancher loans
o Removal of barriers to organic farmers’ access to crop insurance

What’s missing in the Senate Bill?
o The Senate Bill does not go far enough in funding new farm and rural income opportunities
o It fails to fund “Value-Added Producer Grants
o It fails to fund “Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program”
o It failed to pass the Dorgan-Grassley payment limit amendment
(this amendment would have capped commodity payments)

What can we do?
o Read Food Fight by Dan Imhoff which explains the importance of the Farm Bill
o Write or contact your representative
o Make a difference through your buying choices; policy and legislation aren’t the only places to make a difference

Learn more about the Farm Bill through Slow Food resources on the Slow Food website

DMN - Eating green: Buy food produced close to Dallas

In the Dallas Morning News Food section, fellow Slow Food member, Kim Pierce, details how you can buy and support locally produced foods that taste good and are healthy. Beyond getting rid of plastic bags and bottles, "eating greener really comes down to paying attention to what you eat, where it comes from and whether it required a lot of processing."

Link to Dallas Morning News article and list of local producers.

Holiday Cheeses Available

Slow Food cheese makers Paula Lambert and Tonia Ashworth-Kuesel have special Christmas cheeses in stock that can be ordered on line or picked up at their stores. The Mozzarella Company's Christmas Cheese is a once-a-year treat that is made from Thanksgiving through New Years. In keeping with the season, the fresh, spreadable cheese is mixed with a red chile puree and topped with fresh jalapenos.

Over at Chateau de Fromage, Toni is offering here prosecco cherry, brandied cranberry and the year-round favorite, truffled chevre, along with gift certificates and holiday baskets.

Both offer gift baskets and Chateau de Fromage offers gift certificates as well. Order through the Mozzarella Company's and Chateau de Fromage Website. Or email Tonia at orders(at)chateaudefromage(dot)com.

Think Grass-Fed for the Holidays

It’s not too late to order your grass fed beef, lamb or chicken (sorry no turkeys) for the holidays say Slow Food members Wendy Taggart of Burgundy Pasture Beef and Robert Hutchins from Rehoboth Ranch in Greenville.

Burgundy Pastures is out of whole tenderloins and standing rib roasts for Christmas but will have them available for a New Years feast. At Rehoboth, Robert reports that he has beef dry aging at the processor right now and will have cuts available for Saturday, Dec. 22. He’s offering a four-rib and seven-rib standing rib roast, “cut from our organic grass fed beef, of course.”

The price for the four-rib roast, which weighs about five to six pounds, is $14.99 per pound; and for the seven-rib roast, which weighs in at about ten to twelve pounds, the price is $13.99 per pound.

Both Wendy and Robert have grass fed lamb available. Robert also has ham roasts that are two inches thick. The ham is considered "fresh" or "green" since it has no preservatives or other chemicals in it.

Robert says that next year, he hopes to have some sugar cured hams available in holiday cuts. “We do have some sugar cured, smoked, sliced luncheon ham coming out after the first of the year. We think it will be very popular. It is very good, and also completely chemical free.”

Wendy says that Burgundy Pastures can also provide New York strip steaks, “or we can package whole strips, which is the other side when we take the tenderloin off” that can be cut into steaks or prepared and served on its own. Wendy admits she has never cooked one as a whole piece, “but if I did – I would brown the whole piece over a wood fire – and finish it in the oven.”

Wendy also suggests a “more down home preparation” –a brisket. “You can get just as elegant in the sauces to prepare for a brisket as if it were standing rib roast.”

At Rehoboth, Richard also has in stock some “very large plump roasting chickens--over five pounds--that would work very nicely for the Christmas dinner table.’

But, he adds, there are no turkeys. “They all sold for Thanksgiving except for the few people that planned ahead and ordered one for Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time,” he said.

“James Morris from the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth served our Bourbon Red heritage turkeys for his special Thanksgiving brunch this year. It must have been a hit. I have already received a call from the new executive chef at the Mansion wanting to order heritage turkeys for his Christmas brunch. I was sorry to have to disappoint him.”

Suggest you order now if you don’t want to be disappointed. I already did. Just go online to Burgundy Pasture or Rehoboth Ranch for information on how to order.

The Navarro County Farmer – Rancher Network

Jackie and Don King have farming and ranching in their blood. Don’s father has a cattle ranch near Huntsville, Texas, and Jackie is a Texan who boasts six generations of farmers. But until she and Don started P.O.P. Acres in Corsicana, she was making history as the first generation of her family that wasn’t living on a farm.

P.O.P. Acres has changed all of that. Almost six years ago, she and Don purchased from a retiring rancher 80 acres of grazing land about 15 miles south of Corsicana and west of the Richland Chambers Reservoir. That year they started raising grass-fed cattle of mixed beef heritage (Angus, Limousin and Dexter with a little bit of Holstein thrown in for “good luck”).

Three and a half years ago, she and Don left their urban home in Farmers Branch and moved 15 minutes away from their 80 acres into a 75-year old prairie cottage on 43 acres of ground they purchased from a Pursley quarter-horse breeder who needed more space.

They also settled in to a commute to their jobs at the Texas Office of the State Comptroller and the Texas Office of the Attorney General in Dallas, spending about four hours every day driving back and forth. Jackie admits it’s a long haul, but it does give her and Don time to talk about new ways to market their beef and help their neighbors market their products as well.

In fact one of those conversations earlier this year, led to the formation of the Farmer – Rancher Network, a group that has grown to about 16 members from Navarro County including a poultry and egg producer, a goat’s milk soap producer, several vegetable growers and even a home made bread and cake maker.

“I had talked to a lot of local farmers and ranchers who wanted to be able to sell more of their products, but didn’t quite know how to do it,” Jackie explained. “I thought it would be good if a bunch of us got together to see how we could support each other.”

Apparently once Jackie decides to do something, she moves fast. “We talked about setting up a meeting on a Monday night during our drive home,” Don said. “We had our first meeting the next Saturday. About 16 people showed up.”

The group was able to help some of its members open up booths at the Corsicana Farmer’s Market. “Some produce growers were reluctant to take that step,” Jackie explained, “so we helped them get started there.”

For other members—especially those who sell meat, which can’t be sold at the Corsicana Farmer’s Market—the group has organized “Market Days” where they all gather at a central location to sell their products.

Currently, they are holding their Market Days twice monthly on Saturday morning at Eden’s Organic Garden and Nursery in Balch Springs and plan to continue through the winter. Upcoming Market dates include December 1 and after that monthly meat and bread orders will be taken for pick-up at Eden’s until spring.

Active Farmer – Rancher Network Members

P.O.P. Acres Ranch and Farm
Grass-fed beef
Donald and Jackie King
8040 FM 642
Purdon TX 76679
903-673-1435
popacres[at]peoplepc[dot]com
www.popacres.com

JuHa Ranch
Pastured Poultry, PORGO (Pork-Goat Sausage), Pastured Chicken Eggs
Heath Butaud
Judi Glasgow-Butaud and Harry Butaud
8098 NW CR 2080
Barry, Texas 75102
903-695-2684
jeg_31[at]hotmail[dot]com

Bistro Mama’s Natural Breads
Artisan Breads, Italian Pastas, Gourmet Desserts, Appetizer Trays
Jeani Wilkinson, Owner/Baker
3017 W. Park Row
Corsicana, Texas
903-229-5787
mamajeani[at]yahoo[dot]com

French Cross Ranch
Organically Grown Produce, Goat’s Milk Soaps
Shorty and Sherry French
20720 N. FM 709
Hubbard, Texas 76648
903-641-9475 – Shorty
903-641-2003 – Sherry

Patrick and Margarita Patterson
Organically Grown Produce
6944 SW CR 0030
Corsicana, Texas 75110
903-872-4242
arcepark[at]peoplepc[dot]com

Lynn Davis-Colwell
Pastured Guinea and Chicken Eggs
P.O. Box 133, Purdon, Texas 76679
254-578-9042
ldc76679[at]hotmail[dot]com