MAIN MENU
Introduction
Feed Recipes
Feed Instructions
Protein Calculation
Baby Chicks
Feed Producers
Online Experts
Pastured Poultry
Farms Selling Eggs
Worms for Feed
Inside an Egg
Labels
About Nutrition
Related Directories
Traditional Stuff
Abstracts
Feed Topics
Posts
Special Searches
National Ag Library
Agricola
Bad Bug Book
Newsgroups
Foods Composition
Scientific Articles
Links
McMurray Hatchery
Hatcheries Index
Palm Beach Fanciers
City Farmer Canada
Canada Org Grower
Virginia Co-op Ext
Sustainable Ag Orgs
Organic Trade Assn
Am Health, Nutrition
ATTRA
FDA
JOIN ChickenFeed at
Weather!
By NOAA
Webstuff
New WebSurfer?
Copy This Website
Submit a Link
Submit Feed Sources
Advertising
COLOR ME!
KIDS! Click here.
CONTACT
Email Us:
TractionPads
@Earthlink.net
Comments:
Take as much room as you like
Your email address, please
Trouble?
Get your Car or Truck...UNSTUCK!
With
Lions Grip
Traction Pads tm
|
|
THREAT TO TEXAS' SMALL-SCALE POULTRY PRODUCTION
RECEIVING MUCH ATTENTION, THANKS TO GRASS-ROOTS EFFORTS (LITERALLY)
However, letters to the House Public Health
Committee (of Texas) will be urgently
needed when the next update appears. (See below)
~~~~~~~ Update May 24, 2001 ~~~~~~~
This is the 23 May 2001, status of the grass roots effort in the state of
Texas to get the law changed to permit small scale on farm processing of
poultry:
The bill changing the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act (public law)
to accept the federal inspection exemption definition AND specifically
exempts those small scale processors from state inspection requirements
is out of conference committee and going up for the governor's signature.
If the governor doesn't veto this bill (and there is no reason to
believe that he would) it will be signed in the next 10 days or less. If
he doesn't sign the bill within 10 days, it becomes law without his
signature. Not signing bills is the exception rather than the rule.
There are four important points to this change to the law regarding meat
and poultry processing in the state of Texas:
1. EXCEPT as called for IN THIS NEW SECTION of the state law, the
inspection and regulatory provisions of the state law do NOT apply to a
low-volume livestock processing
establishment that is exempt from federal inspection. (You have to go
back to the federal law to see what it says about small scale producers
exemption from inspection. When you do that you find several important
things - produce no more than 20,000 birds per year AND exempt producers
can distribute directly to "household consumers, restaurants, hotels and
boarding houses for use in their own dining rooms, or in the preparation
of meals for sales direct to consumers.") This is a big gain for small
scale producers in Texas!
2. A low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from
federal inspection shall REGISTER with the department in accordance with
rules adopted by the commissioner (of the Texas Dept of Health) for
registration.
3. A low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from
federal inspection shall develop a SANITARY OPERATIONS PROCEDURES PLAN.
(The intent of the Texas Dept of Health is that the plan be simple, on
file at the exempt processors site and available for review if there are
any problems, e.g. contaminated meat, traced back to an exempt
processor.)
4. If CONTAMINATED LIVESTOCK can be reasonably traced to a low-volume
livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal
inspection, the commissioner may request the attorney general of the
district or country attorney in the jurisdiction where the facility is
located to institute a civil suit to ENJOIN (shut down) the operation of
the establishment until the commissioner determines that the
establishment has been sanitized and is operating safely. (This is the
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN provisions required by the Texas Dept of Health.)
Texas Dept of Health will have to draft the new regulations reflecting
the change to the law. That could take several months. In reality, TDH
inspectors will not be aggressively looking for pastured poultry
processors to shut down during the interim period.
This is a great victory for pastured poultry, small scale sustainable
agriculture, family farms and grass roots politics! Thank you for all of
your efforts in calling and Emailing the State Reps and State Senators.
Now we will have to wait and see what the regulations issued by the Texas
Dept of Health say. I believe they will stick very close to the law and
only address the three points they added to the language of our amendment
- registration, sanitary operations plan and emergency shut down.
Everyone please note that you have to read the federal law to understand
fully what we can and can't do legally. For example, the federal law
requires the processed poultry to be labeled with the name and address of
the processor. I will suggest to the APPPA officers that they send an
update to APPPA members that includes the full text of the Texas law and
the federal law.
Again, thanks for all of your support during this process. We have seen
that "the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord." In human
terms, the probability of finding out about the problem, and getting it
taken care of with a law change in the manner that it happened would be a
VERY LOW probability of success. But with the Lord, all things are
possible. We should be very thankful for the way this turned out. We
have been blessed.
This will be my last status report on this issue. Please feel free to
contact me individually if I can help you in any way.
May the Lord of all peace give you peace in every situation.
Robert
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
(903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
~~~~~~ Update Tuesday, April 24, 2001 ~~~~~~~
Pastured Poultry Processing Friends,
Attached is the revised language for the amendment to Rep. Uresti's bill
that is in the House Public Safety Committee. I will also copy it on the
end of this email just in case you cannot open the attachment.
In my opinion, we should support this amendment language.
As we have been discussing, this amendment would change the Texas Meat
and Poultry Inspection Act to accept the federal inspection exemption
definition AND specifically exempts those processors from state
inspection requirements. It does include requirements for a sanitary
operations plan, registration with the Texas Dept of Health, AND
emergency shutdown if contaminated meat is traced back to an exempt
processor.
We have found the legislators to have a spirit of cooperation throughout
this process. The staff people we have been working with have
specifically said they did not want to "over regulate small farms."
I hope you agree, because there is not time now for a lot of debate.
Just time to get the bill passed later this week. Lord willing, that
will happen.
The next step is to show that we in the pastured poultry
community in Texas are solidly behind the amendment and call our
legislators and the members of the House Public Safety Committee in
support of the amendment.
As a reminder from a previous status report,
here are the members of the House Public Safety Committee:
Chair: Rep. Patricia Gray 512-463-0588
Vice Chair: Rep. Garnet F. Coleman 512-463-0524
Members: Rep. Jaime Capelo 512-463-0462
Rep. Bob Glaze 512-463-0580
Rep. Glen Maxey 512-463-0552
Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth 512-463-0538
Rep. Dianne White Delisi 512-463-0630
Rep. John Amos Longoria 512-463-0618
Rep. Carlos Uresti 512-463-0714
Encourage them to support the amendment to Rep Uresti's bill H.B.2802,
AND to insure that H.B.2802 makes it out of committee and goes to the
floor of the House for a vote.
This is almost over and the finish line is in sight. But we need one
more round of calls to our own legislators and the specific legislators
on the House Public Safety Committee. Sen. Madla has agreed to amend his
Senate bill with the precise language of the House bill. When both bills,
as amended, are passed in both houses, TDH will have to draft the new
regulations reflecting the change to the law. In reality, TDH inspectors
will not be aggressively looking for pastured poultry processors to shut
down during the interim period. This will be a great victory for
pastured poultry, small scale sustainable agriculture, family farms and
grass roots politics!
Robert Hutchins
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
(903) 450-8145
Email
rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website
http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made
room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
Amendment to H.B.2802
Sec. 433.0245. REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN LOW-VOLUME
LIVESTOCK PROCESSING
ESTABLISHMENTS.
(a) Except as provided by this section, the inspection and regulatory
provisions of
this chapter do not apply to a low-volume livestock processing
establishment that is exempt from federal inspection.
(b) A low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from
federal inspection shall register with the department in accordance with
rules adopted by the commissioner for registration.
(c) A low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from
federal inspection shall develop a sanitary operation procedures plan.
(d) If contaminated livestock can be reasonably traced to a low-volume
livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal
inspection, the commissioner may request the attorney general of the
district or country attorney in the jurisdiction where the facility is
located to institute a civil suit to enjoin the operation of the
establishment until the commissioner determines that the establishment
has been sanitized and is operating safely.
~~~~~~ Update Thursday, April 19, 2001 ~~~~~~~
Small Scale Pastured Poultry Processors,
I received a phone call from Sen. Madla's office on Wednesday (as did
Greg Edelen from south Texas).
Language for the amendment to the House bill (Rep. Uresti is the author)
is being drafted this week. Final version will be sent by end of week or
early next week. Greg and I will receive a copy to distribute to the
pastured poultry community in Texas for review.
Minimum regulatory provisions required by Texas Dept of Health are:
1. Registration of exempt producers including name and location.
2. Sanitary Plan (not full scale HAACP) for each processor, kept on file
at the processing location
3. Emergency suspension of operations if contaminated chicken
identified. Removal of emergency suspension when sanitary conditions
restored.
In my opinion, this is the best we can hope for. There seems to be a
cooperative spirit on the part of the law makers and regulators. These
provisions seem reasonable. We need to wait and see the final language
before we voice any dissatisfaction; and then only if it is called for.
I am thankful that we have not been met with any organized resistance.
We need to keep this a matter of prayer and vigilance.
Sen. Madla's office encouraged everyone to write letters to members of
House Public Health Committee urging them to support House and Senate
bills as amended. This will need to happen very quickly after we see the
language of the amendment. When I distribute the final amendment
language, I will resend the names of the House Public Health Committee.
Grass roots government can still work!
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401 (903) 450-8145
Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made room for us,
and we shall be fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
~~~~~~~ Update Thursday, April 5, 2001 ~~~~~~~
Here is a status report as of 4/4/01 regarding the imminent loss of the
small poultry producer inspection exemption in the state of Texas...
1. In the Texas Senate - S.B.766 is out of committee. Too late to amend
now. However, the bill is on the "consent calendar", which means there is
no opposition to the bill. It will be grouped with other non-opposed
bills and voted on with a voice vote by the full Senate. It is sure to
pass unless some opposition that is not currently known objects to having
it on the consent calendar and then it will be put up for debate and a
vote on the floor of the Senate. Then it will go to conference
committee. Sen. Madla has agreed to add the amendment to establish small
producer inspection exemption using the exact wording from the House bill
amendment. By the rules, he cannot change the wording. He can only
accept the House amendment or reject it. Close to victory in the Senate!
WELL DONE to everyone who called the Senators' offices. For now, no
reason to continue calling the Senate side of the legislature once your
State Senator knows your position on the issue.
2. In the Texas House of Representatives - H.B. 2802 is still in
committee. Rep Uresti has agreed to amend the bill to establish the
small producer inspection exemption. He is waiting for the Texas Dept of
Health to review the proposed amendment language. TDH may recommend
changes, but we don't know what they will do yet. We do know that TDH is
favorable to small producer inspection exemption. Close to victory in
the House! WELL DONE to everyone who called the Representatives'
offices. The next step is to review the specific language of the
amendment after TDH gets through with it. Rep Uresti's legislative
director will let us know when they get something back from TDH. We will
then put it out to everyone on our distribution list and post it on this
discussion list. For now, there is no reason to continue calling Rep
Uresti's office. He has agreed to amend his bill. There is no reason to
take exception to the TDH language. We don't know yet what it is. There
is no reason to call TDH since we don't have anything to take exception
to. So, for the next few days, get some work done. Let this ride until
the next step happens - exact language for the proposed amendment. For
now, no reason to continue calling the House of Representatives side of
the legislature once your State Representative knows your position on the
issue.
3. We appear to be close to victory on this issue thanks to the Lord and
to the faithful people who cared enough to get involved. My hat is off
to you! We will keep you posted. Brian will call Rep. Uresti's office
on Friday to get an update. Please let him be the single point of contact
per Rep. Uresti's request. We will get you a status report as soon as
the next step happens.
Robert Hutchins
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
(903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
~~~~~~~ Update Tuesday, April 3, 2001 ~~~~~~
Status report (3 April 2001) on the situation in Texas with the imminent
loss of the small producer inspection exemption...
1. Rep Uresti, author of H.B.2802, has agreed to amend his bill to
include language for a small producer inspection exemption. His
legislative aide has Texas Dept of Health working on refining the
language we proposed for the amendment. TDH is probably going to insist
on "registration" of exempted processors so they can "track down the
source if any bad poultry gets out to consumers."
2. In the Texas Senate, NO agreement to amend the bill yet. KEEP CALLING
STATE SENATORS! Call your own state senator, Sen. Madla (author of S.B.
766), and the members of the Health and Human Services Committee. You
can find all of the phone numbers on line at
http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/member.htm
Several of the senators
are acting interested, but have not made a decisive move yet. We hope
and pray that none of the senators want to be seen as not supporting
family farms. Make that point, if you can tactfully.
3. Remember this is a grass roots effort, and there is not much time
left. We have to keep calling and getting everyone we know that is
interested to call as well. There is not time to create an organization
at the state level, as some have suggested, to work this problem. To
borrow a phrase from another Texan, it will take "a thousand points of
light" to get the attention of the legislature. Maybe in the future the
33 members of APPPA from Texas can organize state or regional chapters to
handle this sort of thing in the future. But for now, "we have met the
enemy and it is us"...if we don't call our legislators.
4. Remember to pray for the legislators, and for the small producers
across the state. Legislators, that their hearts and minds will be open
to keeping the small family farms in business. Producers, that they will
be diligent and tactful in contacting their legislators. The heart of
the King is in the hand of the Lord.
Robert
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
(903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
~~~~~~ Update Saturday, March 31, 2001 ~~~~~~~
We are getting Texas Farm Bureau
lobby group and Texas Organic Growers Assn (TOGA) involved. The Senate
bill is out of committee. The author did not amend it. It will have to
be amended on the floor of the Senate. My State Senator is fully engaged
and supportive, at least with his mouth. We will see what he does.
Robert Hutchins
Email Texas Organic Growers Assn at SueJEFI@aol.com
~~~~~~~~ Update Friday, March 30, 2001 ~~~~~~~~
The following post is critical to an understanding of the fight in Texas to keep the right to raise and sell the superlatively healthy, completely safe, pastured poultry. At issue here is everyone's right to raise and purchase health-giving food. It's always an uphill battle, but one that must be acted on. All of us need to at least read what follows, to know that this juncture in our food industry is coming to pass.
I would say the main place to make inquiries, is your newspaper. Ask who is covering the situation in Texas, and if you can speak with that reporter. Leave a number and ask that someone call you back when they publish anything on the situation. Tell them you absolutely require information on this, and expect them to cover this extremely important situation.
You all know what will happen if small farmers are not exempt from the huge governmental inspection. They'll go under, because it is insurmountable in terms of cost. That inspection was designed for the mega-monolithic concerns, the ones who produce the disease by their concentrated methods. It was not intended for, and is not needed for, small farm holdings with normal micro-organism levels. Now, someone is trying to force the small farms to undergo the same inspection procedures designed for huge factories with concentrations of manure, potential for water contamination, and myriad places where microorganisms can become ingested and re-ingested, and are concentrated far beyond what Nature ever intended, and grow unchecked.
PLEASE DON'T CONFUSE THIS WITH THE FOOT AND MOUTH AND/OR THE MAD COW SITUATION. Concern from that emergency does not require us to pass thoughtless measures that have no correlation, out of hasty and uninformed thinking.
We must protect our right to grow our own healthful food. Big business is also very beneficial --- I'm not saying it's bad or the culprit or anything like that. Business gives us the opportunity for scientific growth. But it is misguided if it is the motivator behind this measure, because it does not need to eliminate other forms of poultry-raising in order to survive. If Big Business is not the motivator here, then it can only be some misguided legislators, with "no time" to read and gain understanding of the realities of the small farm biosphere. In either case, the whole premise of the measure is totally unfounded, as we know from the vast experience in real time of the farmers themselves, in the many poultry groups here in Yahoo!Groups. And from the researcher/farmers here also, who study the real microorganisms first hand, who get grants to deal with these "bugs" on their own farms, and who tell it like it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Update Tuesday, March 27, 2001 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Robert E Hutchins
Subject: Re:Pastured Poultry Crisis in Texas
Here is an update (as of 3/26/01) on the situation in Texas with the
imminent loss of the small producer inspection exemption:
1. Rep Carlos Uresti's legislative aid "has not had time to read" the
proposed amendment to Rep Uresti's H.B. 2802. The proposed amendment
would adopt the federal statute guidelines for a small producer
inspection exemption in the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act. Thus
far, there is no position for or against the small producer inspection
exemption, but neither is there much interest. Apparently there has not
been enough of a volume of calls, letters and/or Emails from concerned
citizens or colleagues to bump this issue up to the top of his priority
list.
2. General feedback from State Reps is, "I can't do anything until the
bill gets to the floor of the House." That is simply not the case. We
should ask each State Rep to contact their colleagues on the House
Committee on Public Health and voice support for a change to the Texas
Meat and Poultry Inspection Act to incorporate the provisions of the
federal statute for an exemption from USDA and state inspection for small
poultry producers. We are proposing that this can be accomplished by
amending H.B.2802 that is in committee review at this time.
3. We can contact the members of the House Committee on Public Health
and encourage them to support an amendment to Rep Uresti's bill H.B.2802,
AND to insure that H.B.2802 makes it out of committee and goes to the
floor of the House for a vote.
Chair: Rep. Patricia Gray 512-463-0588
Vice Chair: Rep. Garnet F. Coleman 512-463-0524
Members: Rep. Jaime Capelo 512-463-0462
Rep. Bob Glaze 512-463-0580
Rep. Glen Maxey 512-463-0552
Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth 512-463-0538
Rep. Dianne White Delisi 512-463-0630
Rep. John Amos Longoria 512-463-0618
Rep. Carlos Uresti 512-463-0714
4. We have found that there is a bill in the Texas Senate that is making
the same change to the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act as Rep.
Uresti's H.B.2802. It is S.B.766 authored by Sen.Frank Madla of Senate
Dist 19. We need to add Sen. Madla to the list of people to contact.
When you call his office, say that you are calling to encourage him to
amend his S.B. 766 to include a small poultry producers inspection
exemption. Sen. Madla's S.B.766 is in the Senate's Health and Human
Services Committee. His phone number is 512-463-0119.
5. I have been in contact with Howard Garrett (Texas author and radio
talk show host advocate for "the natural way"), and his current plan is
to run information in his April newsletter that encourages people to
contact their State Rep and State Senator to "encourage everyone to call,
write, e-mail or visit their
state representative and state senator to encourage them to support
and/or sponsor the legislation necessary to include the small
producers inspection exemption in the Texas Meat and Poultry
Inspection Act." This is an excerpt from the draft I reviewed today. It
may change before publication date.
6. Comment from a meat inspector at a USDA inspected processing plant
regarding the upcoming change to TDH regulations..."As soon as the regs
change, we are going to shut down every 'backyard processor' in the state
of Texas."
7. APPPA [American Pastured Poultry Producers' Association]
sent letters to the 33 members from the state of Texas
informing them of the situation and encouraging them to contact their
elected representatives in Austin.
8. WE MUST CONTINUE TO CALL AND WRITE OUR ELECTED REPS IN AUSTIN AND
ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. They are not feeling any pressure yet!
Robert Hutchins
Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
(903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Rehoboth...For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be
fruitful in the land. Gen 26:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Update Tuesday, March 20, 2001 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001 08:21:34 -0600
> From: Robert E Hutchins rhutchins@freewwweb.com
> Subject: Pastured Poultry Crisis In Texas Update 3/19/01
> This is an update on the activities that have happened since I first
> sent
> out an Email alerting Texas pastured poultry producers that the
> Texas
> Dept of Health regulations are in the process of changing to
> eliminate
> the small producer inspection exemption.
>
> 1. Contacted my State Representative's office with the facts of the
> situation. Currently working with legislative assistant who will
> reviewthe applicable laws and regulations, and make Rep. Betty Brown
aware
> of the situation. She was also provided with proposed changes to the
> Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act that would incorporate the
federal
> statute provision for a small producer poultry inspection exemption.
> Same info is available upon request from me at Email address listed
> below. EVERYONE CAN DO THIS SAME THING WITH THEIR STATE
> REPRESENTATIVE!!!! To get your State Rep's phone number go to
> http://www.house.state.tx.us/house/member.htm
>
> 2. Found out that since the deadline for submitting new legislation
> during this session in the Texas House of Representatives is past, the
> way to get the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act changed is to
> attach an amendment to an existing piece of legislation. Fortunately
there
> is proposed legislation in committee to revise the Texas Meat and
> Poultry Act. It is H.B. 2802 authored by Rep Carlos Uresti of San
Antonio.
> HE IS THE PERSON THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO CONTACT!!!! ESPECIALLY PEOPLE
FROM HIS DISTRICT IN SAN ANTONIO (PRODUCERS, CUSTOMERS, ETC.) ENCOURAGE
HIM TO AMEND HIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO ADD LANGUAGE TO PROVIDE FOR A
SMALL PRODUCERS POULTRY INSPECTION EXEMPTION. Proposed language for the
amendment has been provided to Rep. Uresti's legislative assistant. A
copy of the proposed amendment and my letter to Rep. Uresti's legislative
assistant, Mr. Rangel is available upon request from me at the
Emailaddress listed below. The wording proposed for the amendment is
almostverbatim from the federal statute and actually gains some ground
over what the TDH had codified in the current regulations. Rep. Uresti's
phone (512)463-0714.
>
3. APPPA has agreed to send a letter to all 24 APPPA members in Texas. I
have provided a draft letter to Diane Kaufman, Secy of APPPA
fordistribution to the Texas members.
>
> 4. Sent Email to all of my pastured poultry customers explaining the
> situation and encouraging them to call their Texas State
> Representatives
> and Rep. Uresti to encourage them to amend the Texas Meat and
> Poultry
> Inspection Act to provide for a small producer inspection exemption
> so
> they can continue to buy pastured poultry from family farms.
>
> The only way we can be successful and preserve or even improve our
> small
> producers inspection exemption in Texas is for everyone to call or
> email
> their elected representatives in Austin and the sponsors of the
> pending
> legislation. I will keep you informed of any new developments. My
> 18
> year old, home schooled son Brian is doing all the behind the scenes
> work
> on this issue, and doing a wonderful job.
>
> Robert
> (903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Update Saturday, March 17, 2001 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> > Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 23:53:38 -0600
> > From: "lmagedson" lmagedson@netexas.net
> > Subject: Pasture Poultry Crisis in Texas
> >
> > Forwarded message with permission of author............
I am sending you this Email to make you aware of something that is
happening in the state of Texas that will shut down most of the
pastured
poultry producers with regard to "off farm" sales of pastured
poultry.
This does NOT affect pastured poultry that must be USDA inspected
for
sale from retail stores. Pastured poultry for sale from retail
stores
has been and will continue to be subject to USDA inspection.
I have recently been in phone contact with a knowledgeable source
in
the
Meat Safety Assurance Division of the Texas Dept of Health(TDH).
He
tells me that the Texas Dept of Health regulations are in the
process of
being changed to totally eliminate the small producers poultry
inspection
exemption for Texas. This change is happening because TDH
attorneys
have
issued an opinion that the TDH regulations are in conflict with
the
Texas
statute (Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act). The only way to
stop
this from happening is to get the Texas statute, Meat and Poultry
Inspection Act, changed to specifically permit a small producers
inspection exemption. The change that is needed is the addition
of
language that permits TDH to implement the small producers
inspection
exemption provided for in the federal statute. We currently have
TDH
regulations that implement a version of the federal small
producers
inspection exemption and have been operating under these TDH
regulations
in Texas for the past few years. But that inspection exemption
will
be
eliminated as soon as the pending regulation changes are
published.
> > It
> > will be illegal to process even ONE chicken for sale off the farm
> > when
> > this regulation change is published. He could not give me a
> > publication
> > date for the regulation change. But he did say that during the
> > public
> > comment phase of the change process, that his office would be the
> > one to
> > answer any comment on this change. And that their response will
> > simply
> > be that the TDH regulations are in conflict with the Texas statute
>
> > (Meat
> > and Poultry Inspection Act) per their attorneys' ruling. TDH did
> > not
> > seem to be hostile to the small producers exemption; just
> complying
> > with
> > the TDH attorneys ruling. I would speculate that the TDH
> management,
> > at
> > least in the past, has not been hostile to a small producers
> > exemption
> > since they incorporated it into the TDH regulations several years
> > ago.
> >
> > This situation has been confirmed by another source. The TDH meat
> > inspector management group was briefed on the change in a meeting
> in
> > Austin earlier in March.
> >
> > Apparently the only way to stop the small producers inspection
> > exemption
> > from being totally eliminated in the state of Texas is to get the
> > Legislature to add language to the Texas Meat and Poultry
> Inspection
> > Act
> > to specifically permit a small producers inspection exemption,
> > presumably
> > the same provisions as the federal statute small producers
> > inspection
> > exemption. The Texas Legislature is in session now and could act
> on
> > changing the Texas statute. The Texas Legislature is only in
> > session
> > every two years. If we miss this opportunity to get the law
> > changed,
> > there will not be another opportunity until the next session of
> the
> > legislature in 2003.
> >
> > This is the situation here in Texas, but not many people are aware
>
> > of it
> > since the regulation change is not in the public review phase yet.
> >
> > I am in contact with the local pastured poultry producers that I
> am
> > aware
> > of, and they are all sending letters to and calling their state
> > legislators. One will be making a visit to Austin to meet with
> > whoever
> > will see him.
> >
> > Is there any way you could help me in getting this information to
> > pastured poultry producers in the state of Texas? Also, anyone
> who
> > is
> > interested in preserving their ability to buy pastured poultry
> from
> > local
> > farmers may be interested in weighing in on the issue with their
> > state
> > representatives and state senators. We need to encourage everyone
> > interested to write, call and visit their state representative and
>
> > state
> > senator to encourage them to support and/or sponsor the
> legislation
> > necessary to include the small producers inspection exemption in
> the
> > Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act. I can provide more
> > information in
> > the form the correspondence that I am sending to my state
> > legislators.
> > It includes a letter stating the situation and making an appeal to
>
> > change
> > the statute as well as excerpts from the federal statute, Texas
> > statute,
> > and TDH regulations.
> >
> > Changing the Texas statute to enact the federal small producer
> > poultry
> > inspection exemption is the right thing to do for many reasons,
> some
> > of
> > which are:
> > 1. Good for the consumer - as prescribed in the federal statute,
> the
> > small producers exemption does not constitute a threat to public
> > health
> > and it makes safe, ultrahigh quality and nutrition poultry
> available
> > to
> > consumers
> > 2. Good for agriculture - encourages small scale sustainable
> > agriculture
> > 3. Good for family farms - promotes and encourages rapidly
> vanishing
> > family farms
> > 4. Good for the environment - reduces the accumulation and
> > concentration
> > of massive amounts of poultry processing byproducts and waste that
>
> > create
> > disposal problems and have adverse environmental impact
> >
> > If this regulation change goes through and all pastured poultry
> sold
> > off
> > farms must be processed at a USDA inspected facility, it will add
> > approximately $2.00 or more to the cost of each and every chicken,
> > dependent on transportation distances involved for each producer.
>
> > That
> > assumes (big assumption) the continued availability of a USDA
> > inspected
> > poultry processing facility in north central Texas. This level of
>
> > cost
> > increase would either put the producer out of profitable business
> if
> > absorbed or put the price of the product out of range of many
> > consumers
> > who buy direct off the farm.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your work in support of small scale
> > sustainable
> > agriculture, family farms and specifically pastured poultry.
> >
> > Robert
> > Rehoboth Ranch, Robert and Nancy Hutchins Family
> > 2238 County Road 1081, Greenville, TX 75401
> > (903) 450-8145 Email rhutchins@freewwweb.com
> > Website http://www.rehobothranch.com
Get your CAR or TRUCK ...
UNSTUCK !!
with
|
|
|
DEFINITIONS
Types of Feed
Mash: a blend of several feed ingredients, ground to a small size but not to a powder
Pellets: small kernels of compressed mash, causing birds to eat the whole blend, not pick and choose
Crumbles: pellets broken up into smaller pieces
Starter: a blend of feed for chicks and growing birds, usually in the form of mash; approximately the same as "Grower"; can be replaced with "adult" food as soon as chicks go for it, somewhere between 4 and 8 weeks of age
Grower: approximately the same as "Starter"
Layer: feed blend for chickens that are laying eggs, having extra calcium and protein added
Broiler: feed blend for chickens that are growing as fast as possible, in order to be harvested for meat as early as possible
Scratch: whole grains fed separately to chickens, usually scattered on the ground or litter of the coop; usually a mixture of grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, etc. (corn/maize must be cracked before using as scratch grain)
Feed Ingredients
Concentrate: a blend of protein-rich foods, plus any other nutrients desired; usually fed together with a grain ration
Grit: angular, hard crushed rock, preferably from granite, used by the chickens in place of "teeth" --- seashells and bone CANNOT substitute for grit; for confinded birds, grit should be offered several times a month at least; it should be of the right size for the age of the bird (see Baby Chicks page); birds allowed to free range don't need to be offered grit -- they find their own ideal sizes and types to suit themselves
Corn: American term meaning maize corn, or "corn on the cob" (in England "corn" means what grain means in the US, that is, all food grains)
Grain: American term meaning any small, hard seeds, especially grass-family seeds (called corn in England); provides energy, B vitamins, phosphorus, and the whole grains are a fair source of protein, too
Bran: the outer coating of a kernel of grain; extremely high in silicon, which slows down its decomposing in the soil; cheap by-product of milling, often given away free by large mills
Germ: the embryo plant inside a kernel of grain; very nutritious and high in protein; wheat and rice germ (also called "rice polish") are a saleable by-product of milling
Middlings: an old milling term for the parts of the kernel that are milled off with the germ, and probably contain both the starch and bran (please email me if you have more specific information :-)
Calcium: provided by sea shells, crushed bone, and fresh or dried greens --- amounts need to be measured closely, if not free range; must be provided in higher quantities as soon as chickens begin to lay eggs
Protein: any food high in amino acids, used to build tissues; protein quality is determined by the "completeness" of the amino acid varieties in the food source; all meats, eggs of all kinds, milk, cheese, nuts, seed germs, and soy beans are high protein sources
Amino acid: a molecule that is one building block of protein; there are many different amino acids, most of which can be manufactured in the body; the few that cannot must be supplied by foods, and are called "Essential Amino Acids"; a food that supplies all 8 essential amino acids is called "complete"
Vitamins: an old, general term meaning "life-giving"; a chemical found in nature or made by man to imitate natural ones; new vitamins, and new uses for known vitamins, are always being discovered; see RECIPES section for which ones to use
Minerals: non-life-created chemicals found in nature; these and vitamins can be added to dietary regimens to improve health; sea water contains all the minerals of the earth, in their natural forms and safe amounts; "trace minerals" are those needed in relatively very tiny amounts, and can be highly toxic if these amounts are exceeded; "macro-minerals" are those needed in large amounts, such as calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium
Kelp: sea-weed, plants that grow in the sea; contains all the minerals of the earth; all kelp is edible, and can easily be dried and fed to chickens by clipping a sheaf of it to something in their area (also, this replaces any need to add salt to their rations)
Methods of Raising Poultry
Free range: ideally, not controlled by fences, able to get to fresh greens and insects; as commercially used, this term allows fences, with minimum amount of space per bird set by government agency definition
Pastured poultry: hens kept in movable, usually wheeled, pens, moved daily over fresh pasture, creating delicious meat and the very most nutritious eggs (and very fertile pastureland, too)
Organic: inspected by government agencies, organic food sources must not contain traces of harmful chemicals; the term as currently used does not insure that poultry has been raised in the best possible way, only that it has near zero harmful ingredients
Types of Chickens
Pullets: female chickens in their first year of lay, or prior to their first moult; female baby chicks
Hens: female chickens in their second year of lay, or after their first moult
Straight Run: a random mixture of male and female baby chicks, usually less expensive than only pullets
Cockerels: male baby chicks; male young domestic fowl
Broilers: chickens raised to be eaten
Layers: chickens raised to be egg-layers
Layer-Broiler: chickens raised to be both egg-laye
|
|