Will a newly passed NELEG bill limit farmers markets?

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Somebody told me that this recently pastbill, it's LB two six to two,
prohibits the sale of any animal productsfrom neighbor to neighbor, thus banning
things like the sale of eggs,chicken, or a side of beef from
the local farmer. My first thoughtwas what about farmers markets. Well,
that's typically vegetables and fruit. Butanyway, so she says, last night

(00:21):
I tried to read the bill.Even with my big ten college education,
I have no idea what the billis saying. So we have and it
was an Agriculture Committee bill, andit was passed and signed by the governor
and the Agriculture Committee chairman, SenatorSteve Halleran joins us for a few minutes
this morning, Senator, good morning, Hey, good morning, Cafa,
Good morning Gary. Great to haveyour here. So is that true?

(00:44):
Well, is her concern true?Well? You know there's an old expression
about making laws, it's a kinto watching. Yeah, and this is
a typical example of that. Iwould say, there we have we walk
the thin line. And the Departmentof Agriculture helps us with this of narrowly

(01:08):
defining laws to protect consumers without inhibitingcommercial sale food. Right, So and
that's a thin line to walk,and it's very important that we do provide
safeguards for consumers so their comfort levelis such that when they eat, they
feel comfortable that it's food that's healthyfor But to to answer your question,

(01:33):
no, this LB two six twoexpands the opportunities for food to be sold
at farmers' markets or from individuals theindividual. It expands it. It doesn't
restrict it. Okay, so whatchange? So nothing changes then really regarding

(01:55):
if I want to go buy eggsfrom it, if I have a neighbor
who raises chickens, what's new inthis all about that? Nothing new in
it at all that would respect thatfrom happening. What folks need to do
is go to the Rescue Department ofAgriculture website and just google Google let and

(02:15):
look under food permitting UH and thenthe Rescue Pure Food Act is listed there
with the registration form and it'll itwill indicate what foods might need to have
some form of registration. Okay,If if I'm a farmer, if I'm
raising beef and I want to sellsome a quarter beef or whatever to UH,
to a friend or a neighbor,do I have to jump through some

(02:38):
hoops in order to be allowed todo that. No, no new hoops
at all. Typically they'll take itto a local packer, local custom pack
and have that beef process. Nowit can't be resold that it has to
be used by that individual buying.And of course, what about hamp.
I see that hamp is part ofthe collection of issues in this bill.

(03:00):
Well, Nebraska's clearly hemp. It'snot an edible I'm actually but it could
not be at least, but hempis part of the act, and Nebraska's
we're phasing out in Nebraska being incontrol of hemp and giving it back to

(03:22):
the USDA, which is contrary tomy typical political philosophy. We should do
things locally. But it's but it'sit hasn't turned out to be what a
lot of the promoters thought it wouldbe in regard to being an alternative crop
performers. We have very few peopleraising hemp and uh and it's basically,

(03:44):
frankly, just a nuisance to theDepartment of Agriculture. So over time here
we are going to turn that backover to the USDA to manage. Okay,
I remember hearing Steve that that wasgoing to be a godsend to producers
to produce hamp It hasn't turned outthat way. Oh no, there's at
best several dozen producers of him.I was not one of those that thought

(04:10):
that hemp would be the salvation forNebraska agriculture. It's a niche market.
Yeah. By the nature of theword niche, it's very very small.
And of course the fact that it's, you know, a relative of cannabis,
marijuana, it lends itself to alot of issues regulations and sunch.
So okay, So is it rainingin Hastings this morning? It is.

(04:33):
I just got done milk in thecows with it. I tell you,
a senator, I got to tellyou, I'd be willing to bet ten
dollars. Not one elected state senatorin the entire country started their day milk
and cow other than you. Idon't know. I am so grateful for
Nebraska dairy farmers that I don't haveto do that every morning. Yeah,

(04:56):
yeah, no doubt. Well,I think that is cool. That's a
servant leader right there. Hold on, I'll be happy to vote on that
three billion dollar bill right after Iget done milking the cows. It it's
utterly impressive. If I don't,no no doubt, no doubt,