Monday, May 19, 2008

Legal Defense Fund---for farmers

A while back---at least a year ago but I think longer---I spoke with a lady that was part of a group trying to start a legal defense fund for farmers. The premise is similar to the home school defense fund in that money is pooled by yearly or monthly dues to help each member in case of need. Need being defined by harassment or actually suing by local, state or federal governments.
In both homeschooling and farming---"needs" seem to arise frequently. Going against the grain in society seems to create a certain amount of unease in those that are not---and they feel the need to punish people for being different.
Or if you just want to go completely conspiracy theory---then big business tries to monopolize us and force us into going out of business so we won't get a portion of or cut into their profits.
Anyway....we were interested and told them to contact us when they got their group up and running. And at one point we did get an email or something from them but at the time I must have had other things happening and it disappeared (probably into the trash bin of my email).
Today though as I strolled over to read Phelan's most recent post she pointed out something Caroline had told her about this group now suing the state of Michigan and the US government over National Animal Identification System.
Well lo and behold if it isn't the same group---now up and running and doing good deeds.
The group is called the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund. They have both farmers and consumers as members and also take donations. The monthly/quarterly dues are not terribly high considering what good they may be able to do with them.
Wondering why a consumer might need to join?
Well if you just start with NAIS and then the stories of people losing their cow shares when the governments "attack" dairy farmers well...you have two good examples right there and unfortunately I am sure there are more.
So...even if you don't join or donate keep up with their site with their action alerts and maybe pass it along to a local farmer or another consumer if you can.

1 comment:

Robbyn said...

Yes, isnt the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund awesome?? I got the same update in my email forwarded from the local chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation recently, and I'm so so happy that they're tackling the specific NAIS issues...hopefully Michigan will be a precedent, and I'm reallyyyy hoping this will stop and make a lot of folks take notice.

For small farmers, etc., it's definately worth supporting or becoming a member of...

I dropped in here mainly to thank you for your prayers and well-wishes about the recent fires...thankfully the wind shifted (literally) and the path of the fire did as well. It either burned out, or was contained, but what a scare not just for us, but an ongoing one for a lot of places in this state even now.

Thanks for your friendship and keeping us in your thoughts!