Morris Grassfed Beef is deeply rooted in California’s rich ranching tradition, one that values the care of land and animals alike. We manage our land with a holistic approach that nurtures the entire ecosystem—air, water, soil, animals and people.
We are proud to be part of a broad network of farmers and ranchers within and outside of our state, who offer quality and sustainably sourced products to their communities while also maintaining and enriching a biologically rich landscape and environment.
Sadly, our ability to maintain this way of life is under threat in the farm bill currently under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House version contains a reckless proposal that, if approved, would erode state authority over agricultural policy, putting family farms like ours at risk and undermining animal welfare standards across the country.
We’re at a loss to comprehend why congressional leaders would do that to us, the very producers who are working to ensure Americans’ access to safe, wholesome and more humanely produced foods.
Thriving family farms and ranches are the backbone of many rural communities, and a consistent source of economic stability by creating jobs and reinvesting in local communities. For the sake of these farms, and the rural communities that rely on them, it is crucial that local and state authorities maintain the power to shape agricultural policy. They are better suited than any other parties to understand and respond to the unique needs of their communities.
At Morris Grassfed Beef, we know the way animals are raised directly impacts the quality of the food we provide. That’s why we are committed to humane, ethical practices—carefully planning the grazing of our cattle to enhance the health of the plants and soils that sustain them.
Our dedication to transparency and animal welfare has built trust with our customers, who know that the food they purchase is produced with the utmost care. However, the proposed farm bill with its sweeping attack on state and local autonomy threatens this trust.
If the House farm bill is passed as is, it would strip states of their authority to set animal welfare standards, including protections like Proposition 12. This measure, passed by a majority of this state’s voters in 2018, clearly signaled that the intensive confinement of farm animals is unacceptable in the eyes of other Californians, just as it is to us.
Why should large agribusiness concerns using the farm bill, and motivated solely by profit, be allowed to override the will of voters? Proposition 12, and similar laws in a dozen different states—red, blue and purple we might add— give people and communities a voice in how food is produced and how animals used for food are treated, and that voice deserves to be respected.
Should Congress pass the House version of the farm bill in its current form, it would hand unprecedented power over farming standards to large agricultural corporations and undermine state laws that reflect public demand for humane and sustainable practices, practices embraced and also supported by ourselves and countless other farmers. This would jeopardize not only the health and welfare of animals, but of our communities.
The future of family farms, the quality of the food we consume, and the welfare of animals are all at stake.
Passing a final farm bill is essential, but it is imperative that it be one that supports family farms and the values that sustain them.
As the 118th session comes to a close, we urge all members of Congress to join Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Zoe Lofgren and protect the integrity of family farms, respect the will of voters, and defend the right of states to set agricultural policy by rejecting the inclusion of the EATS (Act H.R. 4417) in the proposed farm bill, that seeks to dismantle Proposition 12.
The future of family farms, and the rural communities that depend on them, is in their hands, and we’re hopeful that they’ll prove up to the task.
Joe Morris
Owner, Morris Grassfed Beef
San Juan Bautista
