Dr. Meryl Nass calls for state-level action to restore food freedom
Dr. Meryl Nass, founder of Door to Freedom, told attendees at Brownstone Institute’s Polyface Farm retreat that America’s food system is increasingly controlled by a handful of large corporations and federal regulations that make it difficult for small farmers to survive. She highlighted the loss of family farms and local slaughterhouses, the concentration of meat processing among four major companies, and the financial pressures driving farmers out of business.
Dr. Nass focused on a New Hampshire bill that would allow farmers to slaughter limited numbers of animals on their own property and sell the meat directly to consumers. Although the legislation passed both chambers of the state legislature, it was vetoed by the governor, and an override attempt fell three votes short. Dr. Nass described plans to revive the legislation and introduce similar bills in five to ten additional states.
Her message was that restoring local food production and consumer choice requires action at the state level. By removing regulatory barriers to direct farm-to-consumer sales, Dr. Nass argues, states can help small farmers remain viable, strengthen local food systems, and give consumers greater access to locally raised meat.
