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Good morning from your Farmer(s),
Contents:
- Is Mississippi A Food Desert?
- Product Availability Update
Last week Kendra replied to my email asking for a bullet point list for what should be changed to improve Mississippi so she could write Andy Gipson a letter.
Is Mississippi A Food Desert? - Food deserts are regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food. This may be due to having a low income or having to travel farther to find healthful food options.
Without access to healthful foods, people living in food deserts may be at higher risk of diet-related conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and micro-nutrient deficiencies. Medical News Today
I would offer additional considerations to include:
- 1. In 2016 a study was made that determined MS imports $8.5 billion dollars worth of food. That was more than a billion greater than farm commodity crops generated in sales that year. Commodity crops include timber, cotton, corn, soybeans, beef, and chicken. Much of which is not for human consumption, is grown for animal feed or ethanol, or export.
- 2. As a rural state with tens of thousands of acres we should at least be able to feed our population – not counting the ability to export to other states.
- 3. January 2024 Lt Gov Hoseman wrote an op ed published in state newspapers stating MS was at a critical inflection point where only 52% of the population was working (earning) a paycheck.
- 4. MDAC says there are 34,700 farms in MS covering 10.3 million acres. Average size is 300 acres.
I would guess that 99% of the cattle raised in MS is sold as commodity beef and ends up in a feedlot in KS, TX, etc. and is not consumed my MS residents.
Our farm has helped three MS farms with a USDA Poultry plant to process their pastured chicken and have two more just starting operations under the bogus 1000 annual limit imposed by MDAC Regulation.
Oktibbeha County where MSU is located once had more than 800 small dairies. Today, I understand there are NONE.
I would suspect most people reading my newsletter have parents and or grandparents who had a small farm AND were able to sell to families in their local communities. I.E. made a living from selling meat, dairy, vegetables, and etc. off their farms.
Today, State law and MDAC regulations have shut down small farms from selling direct to customers in their local communities. MDAC regulation limits a farm to only 1,000 chickens per year in direct opposition to both State & Federal Law. BTW, 40+ states allow the sale of 20,000 chickens per year from farm to consumer.
MS Law prohibits the sale of raw milk (dairy) products. However, 26 states allow the sale of raw milk not only directly to your local neighbor, but into commerce. See our Nov 4th newsletter
for details on why raw milk was made illegal.
Food Security is based on a strong DECENTRALIZED farm to consumer market and not these large CENTRLIZED food schemes. In my 14 years experience selling direct to consumer I have learned only certain health motivated consumers will travel outside their local area for healthy food choices. They are not the majority who shop price at their local grocery stores.
Did you know Tyson announced the closure of three plants this week?
Kendra, thanks for your email. Basically, the link between Big AG companies/their lawyers/Associations/lobbyist need to be broken to our elected politicians (who need to listen to the citizens who elected them). I hope all this helps.
The good news is this week I had a 90 minute ZOOM call with two Mississippi folks who are also interested in changing Mississippi’s food insecurity direction and empowering both farmers and consumers with food freedom choice.
So, stay tuned. I look forward to sharing more with you soon.
At Nature's Gourmet Farm, our intent is to create a community that evolves around one of the most intrinsically important things of the ages, and that’s the provision of sustenance. That's our passion - to raise healthy food to nourish families and strengthen immune systems.
** Product Availability Update **
NOTE: Restocks are made about 6 PM on the dates indicated below!
Chicken -Restocked November 26th. Next Restock is December 11th
Turkey - Restocked Ground Turkey, Wings, Legs, and Thighs November 22nd. It will be mid 2025 before the next restock.
Eggs - Restock each (NOW) TUESDAY PRIOR to YOUR delivery date. Received 650 new pullets 8 weeks ago. They are just now starting to lay
Beef - Next restock will be December 20th. Let me know if you are interested in being on the list for our next half beef harvest. I'm thinking about February 2025
Pork
– Next restock will be mid December.
Lamb - Restocked October 8th
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