Heavily debated “Food Freedom Act” passes committee

by Lauren Furtney, Cowboy State Free Press Reporter

CHEYENNE–The Wyoming Food Freedom Act was passed by the House Agriculture Committee by a vote of 6-3 after a discussion that was carried over from Tuesday.

Because of such strong interest in House Bill 54, today’s meeting was open to eight video conference sites around the state. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a bill that’s received so much input from e-mails and phone calls,” Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Semlek, R-Crook, said.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sue Wallis, R-Campbell, opened the meeting by clarifying that the intention of the bill is not to prevent anyone who wants to have their products tested and licensed from being able to do so, but rather to allow for the direct sales between a willing seller and a willing buyer.

After hearing lengthy testimony on Tuesday from the Dept. of Health that opposed the bill, most of the commentary today was in favor of it.

Dr. Rebecca Painter of Gillette was one person to testify in support of the Food Freedom Act. She talked about the loss of nutritional value that occurs during the processing of the majority of our food, stating that “now we have to fight for the right to have healthy foods.” Dr. Painter also discussed her belief that when we don’t understand an illness we attribute it to a virus, but then we don’t try to understand that virus, and that for every identified food-born illness there are many more that are not identified in the processed foods we eat.

Lyle Williams, a resident of Uinta county, said that this bill also represents a freedom issue that is at stake. He summed up his feelings by saying, “People are involved in risk: they smoke, they drink, they bungee jump,” and therefore should also be able to choose how much risk they are willing to take with their food.

Lynn Birleffi, executive director of the Wyoming Lodging and Restaurant Association, stepped forward to caution against the bill, saying that one food outbreak will ruin everything that it has worked for. She advised that the public needs to feel a certain amount of comfort when it comes to their food, and that the language in the bill uses broad terms that go beyond one-on-one contacts when it refers to school sales, agri-tourism, and farmers’ markets.

Rep. Wallis emphasized that the bill does not affect the reasonable and necessary regulations for institutions like restaurants, but is for consensual business between a buyer and a seller for the home setting.

Wyoming meat producer Frank Wallis told the committee, “I don’t make safe food for inspectors, I do it for the customers.” These sentiments were shared by many others from across the state who expressed the importance of knowing and establishing relationships with the people they get their food from, while also having the right to take responsibility for their own choices and actions.

The Food Freedom Act now moves on to the House floor where it will be examined by the Representatives.