'Food Freedom' bill would free some farms from safety rules

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Supporters of a measure that would exempt some small-time farmers and ranchers from food safety rules are pointing to a small Utah farm blocked by state regulators from selling turkeys this Thanksgiving as an example of regulations they see as burdensome.

[...] McDowell Family Farm stopped selling their chickens and turkeys this year after state regulators said the farm and their open-air slaughtering violated state poultry laws and their products weren't properly labeled or inspected.

Under a proposed Food Freedom Act that Utah lawmakers are expected to consider next year, farmers like McDowell who sell directly to consumers would be exempt from those food safety rules.

Roberts said it's in the same vein of other consumer pushes to deal directly with people offering goods and services outside existing systems, whether it's hailing a ride through Uber or renting a room through home sharing company Airbnb.