The following draft letter will be sent to Senators the week of July 20, 2020. We continue to seek additional signatures from non-profit organizations and from farmers/ranchers. You can sign on at https://forms.gle/qSMx8kZohyc9aAQH6.

United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
July ___, 2020

Dear Senators:

The undersigned 88 organizations and 432 farms and ranches urge you to co-sponsor S. 1620, the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act (the PRIME Act), and to support its inclusion in the COVID-19 legislation currently under consideration. This bill addresses the need for scale-appropriate regulation of meat processors in order to diversify and strengthen our food system, and recognizes the safe track record of custom processors.

The PRIME Act addresses a long-standing problem: the lack of accessible, small-scale meat processing facilities for independent and family-scale farmers and ranchers.  Even though many of the large meatpacking plants that experienced COVID-19 outbreaks have re-opened, their initial closures, and the continued risk to meat processing workers, has shone a spotlight on the pre-existing and continuing problems.  Livestock farmers and ranchers continue to face devastating losses because the meatpacking companies have slowed or stopped buying livestock.  These American farmers and ranchers have nowhere else they can go.  As a result, American consumers continue to face high prices for food at the stores.

These issues are the logical result of the highly consolidated meatpacking industry, which puts a small handful of companies in control of our food supply.  Four companies control processing of over 80% of the country’s beef, and four companies control the processing of two-thirds of the country’s pork.[i]  This consolidation means most meat is processed at massive plants in which as many as 400 cattle are slaughtered an hour.[ii]  While there is no silver bullet that will bolster the resilience of our meat supply, the PRIME Act is an important step that could help both consumers and farmers, during this crisis and beyond.

One of the main reasons that we lack local processing facilities is that USDA regulations are designed for massive, industrial-scale facilities, making it difficult or sometimes even impossible for small-scale facilities to comply.  And federal law requires that “state inspected” facilities use the exact same USDA standards, leaving no flexibility for states to work with.  Regulatory reform that would move away from one-size-fits-all regulation, and toward scale-appropriate regulation, is critical.

The PRIME Act takes a vital step in such reform, repealing the federal ban on the sale of meat from what are known as “custom slaughterhouses.”  These facilities are already widespread, operating legally across the country and providing food for thousands of Americans. They have an excellent track record for food safety.  In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, USDA stated that it has no records of any foodborne illnesses resulting from meat processed at custom slaughterhouses since 2012.[iii] 

Custom slaughterhouses meet state regulations as well as federal requirements.[iv]  They are typically very small with few employees.  The extensive complicated federal regulations that apply to massive meatpacking facilities are neither needed nor appropriate for these operations, which might process as much meat in an entire year as the large facilities do in a single day.  Their small scale also means that they are better able to provide necessary social distancing and sanitation measures while safely continuing operations.

But custom slaughterhouses are hampered by the federal requirement that the meat from the animals can only go back to – and be consumed by the family of – the person who owned the animal at the time it entered the slaughterhouse.  The meat cannot be sold to the public.  In practical terms, this means that a consumer who wants to buy some hamburger or a roast, or who is unable to pay for and store hundreds of pounds of meat in one order, is unable to access the meat from a custom slaughterhouse.

It also means that a farmer who wants to sell beef, lamb, goat, or pork to consumers, whether at a farm stand, farmers’ market, or home delivery, cannot use a custom slaughterhouse.  Instead, the farmer has to haul their animals to a USDA-inspected or equivalent state-inspected facility.  These facilities are in short supply, and many farmers must haul long distances at significant cost to reach them, if there is even one accessible.  Many of these plants were already at capacity before the current crisis, and many farmers are now being told that they must wait a year or more to be able to have their animals processed.  These farmers face the prospect of having to continue to feed their animals for the next year or two, without being able to make any income from them.  Many will likely go out of business solely because of the lack of processing facilities available to them, despite high consumer demand for their products.

The PRIME Act provides flexibility to address the need for more small-scale meat processing. It would allow any state to permit producers to sell meat processed at a custom slaughterhouse within that state. In addition to the applicable federal regulations that custom slaughterhouses comply with,[v] states could choose to impose additional conditions or limitations that best suit their agricultural and food system, and social conditions.

The PRIME Act could help reduce the severity of the meat shortages and price increases for consumers in the coming months, while providing income for small farmers and ranchers across the country.  In the long-term, the PRIME Act can make it feasible for more small processors to be established or expanded, helping grow and strengthen vital supply chains as we seek to rebuild our economy from this crisis.  And it provides long-term environmental benefits by reducing the transportation miles and vehicle emissions from livestock hauling.

S.1620 was filed by Senator Angus King (I-E) and is co-sponsored by Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Mike Braun (R-IN). 

On the House side, H.R. 2859 was filed by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Justin Amash (I-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Steve King (R-IA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Elise Stefanik (R-NY).  They have been joined by 40 more co-sponsors from both parties:

Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Brian Babin (R-TX), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Ken Buck (R-CO), Ted Budd (R-NC), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Jared Golden (D-ME), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Mark Green (R-TN), Glenn Grotham (R-WI), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Billy Long (R-MO), Tom McClintock (R-CA), David McKinley (R-WV), Carol Miller (R-WV), Alexander Mooney (R-WV), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Bill Posey (R-FL), David Roe (R-TN), Chip Roy (R-TX), James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Jason Smith (R-MO), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Greg Walden (R-OR), Mark Walker (R-NC), Randy Weber (R-TX), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Robert Wittman (R-VA), Ron Wright (R-TX), Ted Yoho (R-FL)

Please include the PRIME Act in the COVID relief bill that you are currently considering.  Passing the common-sense PRIME Act would provide quality food for American consumers, support local economies, and save struggling farmers and ranchers without spending federal tax dollars.

For more information, please contact the Judith McGeary, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Judith@FarmAndRanchFreedom.org, 512-484-8821, or one of the organizations listed below.

 Signed,

National and International Nonprofits

Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry

Family Farm Action

Family Farm Defenders

Farm Aid

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund

Food Democracy Now!

Good Meat Project

Healthy Biomes

Holistic Management International

Institute for Energy and Environmental Research

International Rescue Committee

Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future

Kiss the Ground

National Family Farm Coalition

National Health Federation

National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association

North American Climate, Conservation and Environment (NACCE)

Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance

Organic Consumers Association

OrganicEye

The Permaculture Research Institute USA

R-CALF USA

Real Food Consumer Coalition

Rural Coalition

Socially Responsible Agricultural Project

Soil4Climate

Weston A. Price Foundation

Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE)

World Farmers

Regional and Statewide Nonprofits

Accokeek Foundation (MD)

Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (AL)

Alaska’s Big Village Network (AK)

All Together Now Pennsylvania (PA)

California Farmers Union (CA)

California State Grange (CA)

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (NC & SC)

Cattle Producers of Louisiana (LA)

Community Farm Alliance (KY)

Dakota Rural Action (SD)

Environmental Stewardship (TX)

Fair Farms (MD)

Food for Maine’s Future (ME)

Future Harvest (MD)

Idaho Organization of Resource Councils (ID)

Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming (WY)

Indiana Farmers Union (IN)

Kerry Cattle Association (MA)

Land For Good (NH)

Lettuce Eat Well Farmers’ Market (OH)

Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MO)

Montgomery County Office of Agriculture (MD)

Nebraska Women Involved in Farm Economics

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (VT)

Northern Plains Resource Council (MT)

Northwest Farmers Union (OR)

Powder River Basin Resource Council (WY)

Rural Vermont (VT)

Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance (NM)

Texas Landowners Council (TX)

The 98th Meridian Foundation (TX)

Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (VA)

Western Organization of Resource Councils (MT and multi-state)

Local Nonprofits

Bee Girl (OR)

CAN Food Pantry (WV)

Central Texas Young Farmers Coalition (TX)

CRST Buffalo Authority (SD)

Damayan Inc (FL)

Double Arrow Ranch & Rescue (CA)

Dragon Soil Health (MA)

Duluth Young Farmers Coalition (MN)

Fall River Resource Conservation District (CA)

Food Policy Council of San Antonio (TX)

Growing Hope (MI)

GROW North Texas (TX)

Henrietta Growth Corp. (TX)

Holloway Productions (CO)

HOPE For Small Farm Sustainability (TX)

Nature’s Farm Camp (IL)

New Farm Institute (TX)

Nourishing Food For Thought (FL)

Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, Inc. (OK)

Pendleton County Farmers Market (WV)

Project H3LP (SD)

Rondout Valley Growers Association (NY)

Rutherford County Cattleman’s Association (NC)

SCOR Cardiac Cyclists Club, Inc. (CA)

Slow Food Austin (TX)

Sonoma Family Meal (CA)

Spokane Farmland Preservation Working Group (WA)

Texas Farmers’ Market (TX)

Tiny Farm of Love (MD)

Trout Lake Area Business Association (WA)

Urban Harvest, Inc (TX)

Veterans Farming Initiative (MN)

Waco Downtown Farmers Market (TX)

WAPF – Cincinnati Chapter (OH)

WAPF – Washington/Ozaukee Counties chapter (WI)

Farms and Ranches (listed by state)

Mesticeria Farm/Circle of Life Farm (AK)

Heron Hollow Farm (AL)

JR Livestock  (AL)

Old Cypress Farms (AL)

Carlton Family Farm (AR)

Dewayne  Barber. Farms (AR)

Four Creeks Ranch (AR)

Phifer Farms LLC Farm Raised Meats (AR)

Russell Ranch (AR)

V5 Farms, LLC (AZ)

Angeles Crest Creamery (CA)

Anthony Teresi Farms (CA)

Apricot Lane Farms (CA)

Bees Rock Ranch (CA)

Black Butte Ranch (CA)

Buckrun Biodynamic Garden Healdsburg (CA)

Chrisman Farms Inc. (CA)

Encina Farms (CA)

Fischer Farms (CA)

Fowler Ranch (CA)

Grabishfarm (CA)

Hutchens Farms (CA)

Independent Producer (CA)

Jefferson Center for Holistic Management (CA)

Lazy 9  (CA)

Lost Coast Ranch (CA)

Luchetti Ranch Partnership (CA)

Monkeyflower Ranch  (CA)

Out of the Whey Farm (CA)

Outlaw Valley Ranch (CA)

Sanglier Home Ranch (CA)

Spring Gulch Farm (CA)

Swain Family Farm (CA)

Triple 3 Family Ranch/Modoc Resource Conservation District (CA)

Wilson Livestock (CA)

Antelope Mess Inc (CO)

Brost Ranch (CO)

Buhr Ranch (CO)

Caraveo Cattle LTD (CO)

Clark Anvil Ranch (CO)

Corner Post Meats (CO)

Franklin Ranch (CO)

Larry Trahern (CO)

Lazy K Livestock (CO)

Six Pack Farm and Cattle LKC (CO)

Sosoni Farm LLC (CO)

The Golden Hoof (CO)

Trahern Ranch (CO)

Unwin Family Ranch LLP (CO)

Vision Farms (CO)

Windchime Farm (CO)

XIT 1885 (CO)

Roche Farm (CT)

Ayavalla Land Co. (FL)

Blue Dot Farm (FL)

Flatwoods Farm & Micro-Dairy (FL)

James E Boree Jr (FL)

Lotus Hill (FL)

Orchard Pond Organics (FL)

Pathways to Health and Harmony (FL)

Pineshine Farms (FL)

Redhills Grazers (FL)

Ric McConnell  (FL)

The Lazy Acres Family Farm (FL)

Golden Pear Farm (GA)

Puu O Kumau Ranch (HI)

A & D Grassfed Beef (ID)

Reditus Natural Farming, LLC (ID)

Wellspring Ranch  (ID)

Hollewell Angus Farm (IL)

Honeysuckle Farm (IL)

Tamra Dynes (IL)

Keith Jeffries (IN)

Plumer Bowers Farmstead (IN)

S Bar T (IN)

Forest Garden Farm (IA)

1850 Farm (KS)

23 Cattle Co (KS)

AJ Schmitz Dairy Farm (KS)

Anchor D L & C (KS)

Bar C Land  and Cattle  (KS)

Brown Family Farms (KS)

Castle Argghhh LLC (KS)

Conway’s Produce (KS)

Crooked Creek Angus (KS)

E & K Heritage Farm (KS)

Gnad Farm (KS)

Heier Ranch, LLC (KS)

Janzen Farms (KS)

Jhawk Farm LLC  (KS)

Joy O’Nature Farm (KS)

LKF Inc (KS)

Mike Schultz (KS)

Novak Farms (KS)

Oakley Livestock Commission Co (KS)

Poston farm (KS)

Prairie Turnip Farm (KS)

Rockn-H-Ranch (KS)

S3 Meats (KS)

Sawyers Farm (KS)

Sommers and Sons Cattle Co (KS)

Sun Ranch (KS)

Unruh Brothers Cattle Co. (KS)

Wulf Farm (KS)

Bentley farms (KY)

Cane Valley Farm, LLC (KY)

Dogwood Farm Natural Grass-finished Beef (KY)

Knight Family Farm (KY)

Sunnyhill Farm (KY)

Brookshire Farm (LA)

Kovac Cattle (LA)

Marsh Mellow Meadows (LA)

American Stonecraft, Inc (MA)

Bear Run Farm (MA)

Crowover Farm (MA)

Goat Nook Farm (MA)

Hames & Axle Farm (MA)

Hidden Acres Farm (MA)

Kings Little Acres (MA)

Loland Oaks Farm (MA)

Meadowhead on Cedar  (MA)

Misty River View  (MA)

Oxford Farms (MA)

Revival Farm (MA)

Rockland Farm  (MA)

Tregellys Farm (MA)

Wildwood Farm (MA)

Albco Integrated LLC (MD)

Bellevale Farm (MD)

Eder Farm (MD)

Evensong Farm (MD)

Harford Hill Farm (MD)

Hollywood Farm (MD)

Homelands Poultry (MD)

HopScratch Farm (MD)

Kitchen Girl Farm (MD)

Lands End Farm (MD)

Myrtle Woods Farm (MD)

Pleasant Valley Farm (MD)

Prosperity Acres (MD)

Rauch Harvest Farm (MD)

Savage Acres Farm (MD)

Serenity Acres (MD)

Shimar Farms (MD)

Soil Carbon Partners, LLC (MD)

Spring Pastures Farm (MD)

Tag Along Alpacas, LLC (MD)

Turkey Manor Farm (MD)

Victory Chapel Family Farms (MD)

Where Pigs Fly Farm (MD)

Whistle Pig Hollow,MD (MD)

Argyle Acres (ME)

Capri Cairn Farm (ME)

Carroll Family Farm (ME)

East Forty Farm  (ME)

Goat Spirit Farm (ME)

Hayman Farm (ME)

Meadowsweet Farm (ME)

Nomad Slaughtering, LLC (ME)

North Star Sheep Farm (ME)

Sebago Lake Ranch (ME)

B&B farms (MI)

Baseline Farm Grassfed  (MI)

Bonz Beach Farms (MI)

Cattle Trail Ranch (MI)

D & V Fleis Ranch (MI)

Flying Pigs Farm (MI)

Golden Fleece Farms LLC (MI)

Logan Heritage Farm  (MI)

Mezsick Family Farm (MI)

Presque Isle Farm (MI)

Provision Family Farms (MI)

Pullmack Heritage Hog Farm  (MI)

Red Timber Ranch (MI)

Resonance Center Farm (MI)

Rogers Heritage Farm LLC (MI)

Second Wind Farm (MI)

Section 32 Farms (MI)

Serendipity Farms (MI)

Standen Acres (MI)

Traynor Family Farm (MI)

Whispering Wild Market Farm (MI)

Wild Dandelion Acres LLC (MI)

Cannon Valley Butcher’s Block (MN)

Dancing the Land Farm (MN)

Dry Creek Farms LLC (MN)

Get Bentz Farm (MN)

Highwater Organics (MN)

Medicine Creek Farm (MN)

Midwest Elderberry Cooperative (MN)

New Story Farm (MN)

Roots Return Heritage Farm LLC (MN)

Semmler Farm (MN)

Ahbleza Ranch (MO)

Blubaugh Angus Ranch  (MO)

Bruce farms (MO)

Burnt Fork Farm (MO)

Conley Angus (MO)

Cub Creek Ranch (MO)

Double K Adventures (MO)

Earth Friendly Farm (MO)

Hill People Farm (MO)

Ladd’s Family Farm (MO)

Lazy Broken B Ranch, LLC (MO)

Maxwell Acres (MO)

Morning Star Farms (MO)

Novelty Farm (MO)

On the Hook Acres (MO)

Robinson Farms (MO)

Rogers Ranch (MO)

Shamba Creek Farm (MO)

Windfair Farm (MO)

Morgan Homestead (MS)

Antelope Springs Ranch (MT)

Castle Rock Ranch (MT)

Cooper Creek Ranch (MT)

Delpine Farms (MT)

Double AA Ranch (MT)

Irish Household  (MT)

MT Cross Farms, Inc. (MT)

Quirk Cattle Co. (MT)

Back to Earth Farm (NC)

Beam Farms (NC)

Dan-Vir Ltd (NC)

Dominion Heritage Farm (NC)

Ivey’s Spring Creek Farm (NC)

Patience Farm and Brewery, LLC (NC)

Reverence Farms (NC)

Shelter Mountain Farm  (NC)

Becker Ranch (ND)

Cudworth Ranch (ND)

Larson Farms (ND)

Maher JM Angus (ND)

Makelky Ranch (ND)

Mertz ranch (ND)

Shawn steffes (ND)

Wald Family Growers (ND)

Barry Pospichal (NE)

Bloomfield Beef Cattle Club (NE)

DS Family Farm (NE)

Eschty Farms Inc (NE)

Gallino Ranch (NE)

H( Ranch (NE)

Jones Ranch (NE)

Kunert Cattle Company (NE)

Lechtenberg farms (NE)

NLazyH Ranch (NE)

Paitz Farm Service (NE)

Seven Mill Iron Ranch (NE)

The Shiloh Fam (NE)

TSK Farms LLC (NE)

U7 Ranch (NE)

Wellas Cattle Co. (NE)

Granite State Poultry & Processing (NH)

Lima Farmily Farms (NJ)

CS Cattle COmpany (NM)

Mesteño Draw Ranch (NM)

Rafter 2S Cattle Company (NM)

WATE Ranches LLC (NM)

Whetten Livestock (NM)

Ruby Home Ranch (NV)

Ruby Mountain Beef (NV)

9 Partners (NY)

A & E Glenden Farms (NY)

Blue line farm (NY)

Caer Luna Farm (NY)

Christian Custom Cutting & Our Farmstead (NY)

Diamond Hills Farm (NY)

Grass + Grit Farm (NY)

Otero Family Farm (NY)

Ramble Creek Farm (NY)

Rex farm (NY)

Sap Bush Hollow Farm (NY)

Stewart’s Family Farm LLC (NY)

Stratton’s Custom Meats & Smokehouse,LLC (NY)

Valley View Devons (NY)

Circle R & H Farm (OH)

Hyde Farms (OH)

Windswept Grass Farm (OH)

ZOE Farms LLC (OH)

Anichini-Moore Ranch & Farm (OK)

Bar JK Land & Cattle (OK)

Bar S Ranch (OK)

Bar T Beef (OK)

Buckeye Ranch (OK)

Butcher Barn of Garvin (OK)

Day Herefords (OK)

Flying V Ranch (OK)

Four Oaks Farm (OK)

Gray and Brunk (OK)

HL Kincaid Logging (OK)

Hutchison cattle co (OK)

Marchel Ranch (OK)

Northfork Ranch (OK)

Single Loop Ranch (OK)

Spurgeon Ranch (OK)

Ballymena  (OR)

Bayside Gardens (OR)

Fat Hen Farm (OR)

Healing Ponds (OR)

Juniper Mtn. Land/Livestock (OR)

Lowry Awesome Beef (OR)

WanderBee Farm (OR)

Wheat/Barley farm-Sherman County (OR)

Withywindle Farm (OR)

Barefoot Botanicals (PA)

Clodhopper Farm (PA)

Ewe View (PA)

Good Work Farm LLC (PA)

Green Meadow Farm (PA)

Healthy Harvest Farm (PA)

Highland Meadows LLC (PA)

Howe Sharp (PA)

Maple Leaf Farm (PA)

McMillen Bros. Inc. (PA)

Pole Cat Hollow Farm (PA)

The Family Cow, LLC (PA)

Thousand Hills Grazing (PA)

Weimer Brothers Farm LLC (PA)

Yellow Creek Farm (PA)

Pat’s Pastured (RI)

Good Shepherd Heritage Farm (SC)

Bud Ducheneaux Ranch (SD)

Dostal Ranch (SD)

Double D Feedyard Inc. (SD)

DX Beef (SD)

Eliason Trucking LLC (SD)

Fox Ranch (SD)

Guthrie Ducheneaux Ranch (SD)

Jobgen Ranch (SD)

Mill Iron S Ranch (SD)

MST Baysinger Ranch (SD)

Naber Ranch (SD)

Sodak Angus Ranch (SD)

Traverse Farms (SD)

Austin Farms (TN)

D & R Farms (TN)

Hurricane Creek Farms  (TN)

Liberty Trace Farm (TN)

Menagerie Meadow Farms (TN)

Pipe Dream Farms (TN)

Shake Rag Ranch (TN)

Solace Farm (TN)

Southern Rhythm Cattle Company  (TN)

Uncle Tim’s Farm (TN)

3I Ranch (TX)

4-MAX Ranch (TX)

Amelia Farm and Market, LLC (TX)

B&C Farm (TX)

Badger Hole Farm (TX)

Bee Country Honey Farm (TX)

Birch Farn (TX)

Broussard Farms (TX)

Brown Cattle (TX)

CD&J Mini Ranch (TX)

Circle J Ranch (TX)

Clark Family Farm LP (TX)

Cosby Farm (TX)

Covadonga Farms (TX)

Covenant Farm Foods (TX)

Crunchy Mama Farms (TX)

Deerkreek cattle company  (TX)

Diamond Rafter Ranch (TX)

Dickens Land and Cattle (TX)

Doctors Clinic of Rio Grande City (TX)

Dodge Ranch (TX)

Double H Ranch (TX)

Double H Ranch (TX)

Driftwood Meadows (TX)

DWD Longhorns (TX)

Eclipse Farm (TX)

Elmore Farms (TX)

Falster Farm (TX)

Finca Tres Roblest (TX)

Floyd Agricultural Research (TX)

Frankie’s Fresh Foods (TX)

French Family Ranch (TX)

Frying Pan Ranch (TX)

Glen Haven Farm (TX)

Green Gate Farms (TX)

Henneke Farms (TX)

HHH Farm (TX)

Hillbilly Heaven Homestead (TX)

Hines Ranch (TX)

Honey Hog Farm (TX)

Hundred Acre Farms, LLC (TX)

Hydraulic Supply & Service Co (TX)

Jim Loos Independent Cattle Rancher  (TX)

L7 Ranch (TX)

LaidBack Farms (TX)

Lee Farm (TX)

LeeFarmTX (TX)

LG Farms (TX)

Lloyd Brangus (TX)

Massey Farm (TX)

McGeary Family Farm (TX)

Middle Ground Farm (TX)

Mini Moo Cows Farm (TX)

Munkebo Farm (TX)

Neighborfood (TX)

North Fork Cattle Company (TX)

Nowell’s Naturals (TX)

Oatmeal Oaks Ranch (TX)

Padilla Farm LLC dba Yahweh’s Farm  (TX)

Parkinson Farms (TX)

Phillips Family Farm (TX)

Quarter Moon Farm (TX)

R&F Farms (TX)

Rambling Rose Farms (TX)

Rascoe Pecans (TX)

Rockin’ E Ranch (TX)

RockinBarB Ranch (TX)

Saga Farms (TX)

Serenity Farm (TX)

Serenity Holistic Farm (TX)

Shady Grove Ranch (TX)

Shawnee Creek Farm (TX)

Sister Grove Farm (TX)

SM Brown Ranch (TX)

Soil Regen (TX)

Solar Acres (TX)

South Austin Micro Farm (TX)

Southern Sunny Acres (TX)

Spanial Ranch (TX)

Sweet Eats Fruit Farm (TX)

Talladino Farms (TX)

TexSyS Properties (TX)

The Double Portion Ranch (TX)

The Pauper’s Cottage Family Farmstead (TX)

Tir Bluen (TX)

T-Squared Farm (TX)

Utility Research Garden llc (TX)

Weise Farms (TX)

Wild Creek Farm LLC (TX)

Wodagyu (TX)

Yahweh’s All Natural Farm and Garden (TX)

Chicken Warehouse (UT)

Mesa Farm (UT)

56 Hooves (VA)

Big Oak Angus Beef, Inc. (VA)

Blue Hills Farm (VA)

Blue Line AgriVentures, LLC (VA)

Dandelion Fields (VA)

Earth’s Echo Farm (VA)

Faucher Farms LLC (VA)

Fawn Crossing Farms (VA)

Fayelin Farms (VA)

Fireside Farm, LLC (VA)

Gold Hill Blueberry Farm (VA)

Highland Homestead LLC (VA)

Hoof Hearted Farm LLC (VA)

La Caridad Farm (VA)

Martin’s Ponderosa Farm (VA)

Potomac Vegetable Farms (VA)

Rainbow Acres Farm (VA)

Savage Acres (VA)

Seven Springs Farm (VA)

St. Gail Farm (VA)

Sustainablesurry (VA)

Tangly Woods Homestead (VA)

Verdant Acres Farm (VA)

Via-Tality Farms (VA)

Whaleyville Farms (VA)

High Goose Farm (VT)

Waterman Orchards (VT)

Beaver Bend Farm, LLC (WA)

Carnes Farms,INC (WA)

Coulee Creek Farms, Inc.  (WA)

Flying Fortress Farm (WA)

Hollyhock Farm (WA)

Laura’s Garden (WA)

Lazy R Ranch (WA)

Living Heritage Farms (WA)

Simple Joy Farm (WA)

Duck Creek Pastures, LLC (WI)

Fieldstone Farm (WI)

Holm Girls Dairy (WI)

Evans Knob Farm (WV)

Hampshire Meats (WV)

Job Farm LLC (WV)

Lost River Meat Company (WV)

McDaniel Farms (WV)

Montcroft Farms LLC (WV)

New City Farms (WV)

Quicken Farm LLC (WV)

Round Right Farm (WV)

Sanctuary Hollow Farm (WV)

Shepherd’s Whey Creamery (WV)

Smoky Bend Farm (WV)

South Branch  Meat Company (WV)

Sweetwater Farm (WV)

Teets Cattle Co. (WV)

Walnut Hill Farm LLC (WV)

307 Ranch (WY)

Blacksmith Ranch (WY)

Gantz Ranch (WY)

Johnson Ranch (WY)

[i] Heffernan, W. & Hendrickson, M. (2007).  Concentration of agricultural markets.  University of Missouri, Department of Rural Sociology. Posted online at http://www.foodcircles.missouri.edu/07contable.pdf

[ii] GRACE Communications Foundation.  Food Processing & Slaughterhouses. 2015. Quoting Schlosser, E. (2002). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. Posted online at http://www.sustainabletable.org/279/food-processing-slaughterhouses

[iii] USDA FOIA response, 2020-FSIS-00397-F (June 25, 2020)

[iv] 9 C.F.R. 303.1(a)(2)(i) & (b).

[v] 9 C.F.R. 303.1(a)(2)(i) & (b)