Today, the town of Trenton became the fourth Maine town to pass the Food Sovereignty Ordinance, joining Sedgwick, Penobscot, and Blue Hill. Trenton has become the latest in a growing Tenth Amendment movement in Maine, where a number of Tenth Amendment related bills have been introduced in the Legislature alongside the Town level sovereignty movement.
The ordinance now protects citizens engaging in local exchange of food products from invasive and unlawful interference by the State and Federal Governments.
After local Doug Wollmar, who introduced and pushed the ordinance in Trenton, delivered a strong case for it, it was voted on. The final vote was 29-25. Here is the text of the Food Sovereignty Ordinance, first passed by Sedgwick.
This is huge as America has been facing oppression by the Federal Government in recent years in violation of the Constitution, especially in the area of food commerce. Last year, Congress introduced the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) and recently, the Federal Government has been harassing locals who simply wish to engage in trade and sales free of excessive and unconstitutional regulations. One notable instance was a 5am sting at an Amish farm in Pennsylvania, in what the FDA called a “lawful inspection,” despite the Constitution granting no authority to them to do so.
The FDA on the issue has said “It is the FDA’s position that raw milk should never be consumed.”
On the contrary, it is not only the growing position of Mainers, but it also the firm position of the United States and Maine Constitutions that the FDA has no right to enact such tyrannical laws and follow through with unlawful stings. The people have spoken.
cross-posted from the Maine Tenth Amendment Center
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EDITOR’S NOTE: States are also considering legislation to protect food freedom with bills like the Food Freedom Act (track progress here) and the Intrastate Commerce Act (track progress here)
- Millinocket, Maine Passes 2nd Amendment Preservation Resolution - March 15, 2013
- Brooksville Joins Maine Food Sovereignty Movement - March 15, 2013
- Maine’s Governor LePage Refuses To Implement Obamacare Exchanges - November 17, 2012