Washington, DC, April 2, 2025 – The National Family Farm Coalition applauds Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Mike Lee (R-UT) for reintroducing the bipartisan Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act yesterday, legislation that will permanently protect the rights of livestock farmers, consumers, custom processors, and itinerant slaughterers to practice and benefit from on-farm slaughter of livestock.
Currently, the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) permits farmers to raise, slaughter, and butcher their livestock for personal use without inspection, but does not allow them to sell the resulting products to customers. The LOCAL Foods Act makes a simple update to the FMIA, protecting modern USDA guidance permitting the on-farm slaughter of livestock that a person owns. This important clarification allows non-farmer consumers to buy a live animal (in whole or in part) from local farmers, then hire an agent to complete on-farm slaughter.
“Small, Vermont-sized farms have produced locally-grown produce and farm-fresh meat for their neighbors and community for years, but regulations designed for large-scale farms have made that increasingly difficult. We need to cut through red tape and help our rural producers compete in the marketplace. This bipartisan bill will help support our local producers and help local customers access fresh, locally-sourced products,” said Senator Peter Welch.
“If you’re purchasing livestock for personal consumption, you shouldn’t have to jump through the same regulatory hoops present in the commercial meat market,” said Senator Mike Lee. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation gives freedom to farmers and ranchers of every size to feed themselves and their communities without going through unnecessary steps to please the government.”
Protecting on-farm slaughter allows farmers and ranchers to make confident business decisions, expands market opportunities and value for their products while giving consumers additional choice, and strengthens regional food systems. The LOCAL Foods Act is a crucial opportunity for Congressional action to support farm viability and food security. NFFC and our farmer-members are grateful for the leadership of Senators Welch, Sanders, and Lee on this issue.
“On-farm slaughter aligns with the growing demand for locally-sourced food that respects community traditions,” said Diana Padilla, owner operator of Yahweh’s All Natural Farm and Garden and Executive Director of HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability, “Through my work with farmers in my community, and as a beef farmer myself, I’m seeing increased demand from people who want to buy their meat directly from a farmer they personally know. The LOCAL Foods Act is a straightforward solution that will put more money in farmers’ pockets while fostering meaningful connections between producers and their customers.”
In addition to the National Family Farm Coalition, the LOCAL Foods Act has been endorsed by a number of food and farm advocacy groups, including Rural Vermont, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund. Additionally, more than 600 signatories from across the country have supported updating the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
