The Kitchen Garden Network strives to provide useful information on the world of food matters. We look at what we eat, how it’s best prepared, and how it gets to our tables. In addition, we focus closely on the political and economic forces that influence what reaches the outlets where we shop for what we eat.
In our various web links, our forum and, particularly, our weekly podcast, KGN examines food topics of the day and of our age. In the podcasts we examine gardening, cooking, food sourcing and a wide range of topics of interest to everyone who is concerned with the quality of what they eat. Anyone interested in the wide range of food issues KGN tracks is urged to subscribe to The Gastrocast Podcast. It is available free for subscription at iTunes or at The Gastrocast Blog.
Neal Foley, KGN’s founder –a chef, farmer and sustainability advocate – leads the organization’s educational and advocacy programs. Neal also presents the weekly podcast from the organization’s headquarters in western Washington State. Says Neal, “We might not think it’s important to know where our food comes from, but in that assumption, we would be very wrong. Never before has it been more important to know exactly where our food comes from, how it is produced and who handles it along the way.”
KGN believes that escalating interference by government, including increasing levels of legislation and regulation present a major roadblock to achieving a safe, healthy, locally supported and sustainable food supply system. Learn how to more effectively grow, shop, source and cook what you eat by visiting the Kitchen Garden Network’s websites1 and by listening to the weekly podcast programs. You might even consider making a small donation through Paypal to help defray our costs in providing this valuable service.
Technorati Tags: gastrocast, podchef, kitchen garden network, podcast, food politics, farm to fork
- found in the righthand sidebar [↩]
Over on my Sugar Mountain Farm blog on the Label Printing Machine post you asked if we had to use the USDA approved labels. I tried to avoid doing the USDA approval process, or at least put it off, but in Vermont there is only one state inspected butcher/slaughter facility. All the others are USDA and state. If they are both then the USDA supercedes and we must get USDA label approval IF we make a claim on the label. A claim can be:
Geographic (Locally produced, Vermont)
Production (grass fed)
Health (High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids)
Negative (No antibiotics fed)
etc.
I was not interested in making a label that had no claims. The state of Vermont approved it with the claims I have BUT the one and only state only slaughter facility is too far away for us to use. So I have to use the USDA inspected facilities and thus must get their approval for the label.
Sooo…. I’m learning all about the process.
It is interesting. I would even say that going through the process has improved the label since as I read through all the regulations I gain insights.
A big advantage of having the USDA approved label and inspection is that it means we’ll be able to sell out of state. One of the places that wants to buy is in New York City. Another is in New Hampshire. Both have no supply of local pork or even New England pork never mind pastured pork.
Thank you for you info about your local mobile slaughter unit! There is much discussion going on in Vermont about this right now and I have forwarded your insights to the MEAT@LIST.UVM.EDU list.
Personally I think your option #3, the on-farm slaughter, is by far the best for all the reasons you gave and more. That is what I would like to be doing for our direct customers. But the state of Vermont currently bans us from this. One must have actually raised the animal to be allowed to do this. It is absurd and overly restrictive. We are pushing to change that.