Maine Takes Lead in Food Sovereignty Movement

Maine Governor Paul LePage recently signed a bill into law that affirms the rights of cities and towns to regulate local food production in their areas. A Press Herald Dot Com report says that makes Maine the second state in the U.S. to allow consumers to buy products directly from farmers and food producers that haven’t been inspected or licensed by state or federal regulators. The ‘food sovereignty movement’ aims to promote freedom in food choices for consumers who are willing to forgo food safety regulations. The law means a neighbor can stop by a dairy farm and by a gallon of unprocessed milk, even if the farmer doesn’t have the milk inspected or licensed by the state. If that neighbor trusts the farmer and is willing to take the risk of buying unprocessed products, they’re free to do so. However, some groups say it’s going to put consumers at risk. The Maine Cheese Guild opposed the bill, with former president Eric Rector testifying against it. The group is worried that someone runs the risk of getting sick from Maine cheese, thereby tainting the entire cheese industry, which is currently thriving in Maine.