Portal:Food Sovereignty/Local Food Ordinances

Local Food and Self-Governance Ordinances, first drafted in four towns in Hancock County, Maine, are town ordinances establishing local food governance in response to increased federal regulation via the "Food Safety Modernization Act." Residents who drafted the ordinances in 2010 and 2011 feared that the new law, which President Obama signed on January 4th, 2011, could shut down cottage producers of jam and pickles made from backyard garden produce and church pot lucks without these local ordinances to protect them.

Text of the Ordinance
Full text of the ordinance template, as passed in four Maine towns, can be found here.

Successful Passage
Ordinances or resolutions have been passed in:


 * Blue Hill, Maine (ordinance)
 * Penobscot, Maine (ordinance)
 * Sedgwick, Maine (ordinance)
 * Trenton, Maine (ordinance)
 * Sandisfield, Massachusetts (resolution)
 * Barre City, Vermont (resolution)
 * Town of Barre, Vermont (resolution)
 * Santa Cruz County, California (resolution)

Ordinance History
For the story of the drafting and passage of the original ordinances in Maine, read Bob St.Peter's interview here.

External Resources

 * Local Food Local Rules
 * Local Food Freedom, Nevada County