Utah County Chapter for
Local Food Act

Problems preventing a viable food or farm business to serve the customer who needs my service

Key Features

There is a growing number of small farms and food producers across the state of Utah.  We have laws and an organization that is supposed to protect the rights of all sizes and types of farms and the laws are to protect the rights of small food producers.  The problem is that many of the laws are made to protect wealthy farms and food producers. The small producer of food cannot often afford to even get their facility started legal, because of horrendous regulations.

Food Handlers

I started trying to become licensed for dairy about 4 years ago.  While UDAF is very cooperative, some of the laws and practices are silly, horribly expensive or controversial.  The inspectors are not in harmony with each other, making it impossible and scary to know if you are legal in how you want to put your facility in or not. One inspector might say you can do such and such. Another will say "No, you have to do it this way."  Some of the inspectors say that raw milk dairies do not need a Food Handler's Permit. However, the state does require a Food Handler's Permit for raw milk dairies because they are handling milk/food.  So contradiction..

Licensed Raw Milk

It is legal to transport licensed raw milk in Utah, only to an off-site store IF the producer owns at least 51% of the profits of that store.  Otherwise, it's not legal to transport licensed raw milk.  So my question is, "How does a money figure produce food safety or not?"  LOL.  Some of the inspectors of Raw Milk dairies will tell the producer, "If your bacteria counts are good, then you don't have to clean those udders and disinfect them. You don't have to shave all the long hair off them." Yet, Utah law says that licensed Raw Milk Dairies must handle their facility, dairy animals and milk using the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).   What some of the inspectors are saying above is causing that dairy to be in direct violation with the Utah Law.  contradiction again....

Legal and Safe

Its legal and safe to sell cheese if the milk used is pasteurized. Yet think about it.... Cheese is usually made in an open pot.  Bacteria can get in the mixture, no matter if the milk is pasteurized or not.  Its called propaganda against raw milk and raw milk safety...

Costs

The cost of creating this business threatens to render my family bankrupt. But are all these requirements really necessary?

Food Businesses

Big businesses in my industry of dairy and food want to raid my facility and make me just 'go away'.  Bottom line, we little food businesses are taking business away from the big guys. Why, because our foods are often actually healthier and don't usually cause lasting hidden diseases like cancer. The bottom line is we care about our customer and their problems that they are seeking help with.  How can we help them, rather than just making my customer a number.

Does this scenario fit you?

Does this fit you and your problems in starting your farm or food service?  I think it fits most of us.

  • You have the vision of who your customer is and what their struggles are in obtaining that wholesome food she dreams of to give her family a sustainable healthy life
  • You know and understand your customer's struggles and desires
  • You even know how to produce this food safely for your customer
  • You have the 'big boys' or having a tug of war with you because they want to raid your facility and make you just go away. The big boys just 'want it all for themselves'
  • You say, "No way!
  • I know how to create these products and help my customer to be of great importance, not just another number."
  • Government regulations are stifling and ridiculous, preventing you from doing what you need to do
  • You know exactly what I need to do to share my product, but every time I get the money to finish my facility, the money must be used for personal needs so you don't lose your hoe
  • You are exhausted working a full-time job and trying to get your very necessary business available to the customer
  • You are living below the poverty level on one meal a day
  • Are you pulling your hair out, because you are always just short of reaching your goal?

Work Together

Let us all work together and figure this out.  We can do this together. Come join us as a consumer, producer or just as someone interested. Together we can survive and win this battle to give a sustainable healthy food source so that we can all prevent those serious hidden diseases and live a healthier cleaner lifestyle.