The Revolutionary Free Food Trade Ordinance Of The Small Town Of Sedgwick, Maine

Have you heard of the small town of Sedgwick, Maine? Maybe you should have, as the town enacted a somewhat revolutionary ordinance declaring “food sovereignty” — any normal type of food transaction is absolutely free and legal, regardless of state or federal law.

As per the ordinance, citizens of the town have the right to “produce, sell, purchase, and/or consume any food of their choosing.” The move was, essentially, in response to the growing reach and powers of the FDA and other government regulatory bodies, especially with regard to local and small-scale food production, and the questions that many people have about the connections/loyalties of those in positions of power in these organizations. There has been, for example, substantial overlap between those who have served in positions of power in the FDA and those who have worked for Monsanto Corporation…

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The warrant adds: “It shall be unlawful for any law or regulation adopted by the state or federal government to interfere with the rights recognized by this Ordinance.”

“Patrons purchasing food for home consumption may enter into private agreements with those producers or processors of local foods to waive any liability for the consumption of that food. Producers or processors of local foods shall be exempt from licensure and inspection requirements for that food as long as those agreements are in effect.”


An interesting approach to relocalization, and one that has apparently been doing quite well — as a number of other small towns in the region have enacted similar ordinances since then. Hopefully this is just the start of a larger and broader trend, away from excessive government interference in the food that we eat.

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