Archive for the ‘Laws’ Category

San Diego Approves Chickens, Bees, Goats


A sign of the times! San Diego City Council voted on Jan. 31, 2012, to allow residents to keep chickens, goats, and bees, citing the importance of accessing local food. Read more here. 

Support Legislation in Favor of Humane Living Conditions for Laying Hens


Help Improve the Lives of Laying Hens

Congress is now considering legislation (H.R. 3798) that would improve the lives of hundreds of millions of egg-laying hens in our country—and you can help! The Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012 would phase-in significantly more space plus environmental enrichments for these birds, as well as ban starvation molting and give consumers more information about production methods right on the egg carton (e.g., labeling “eggs from caged hens” and “eggs from cage-free hens”).

TAKE ACTION
Please make a brief, polite phone call to your U.S. Representative, urging co-sponsorship of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012, (H.R. 3798). Then, make a brief, polite call to your two U.S. senators to support this legislation as well. Look up your legislators’ phone numbers here.

Please also use the form below to send a follow-up note to your federal legislators urging support for H.R. 3798. We encourage you to add your own thoughts or comments about this legislation in the editable portion, so your federal legislators know how important this issue is to you personally.

Taken from the Humane Society’s website.

Hens Find a Home in Northbrook, IL


Nigel and Robert are two hens living in Northbrook, IL. Their coop placement could be a legal issue for their owners. Read more here. 

Backyard Poultry Magazine on Legalizing Chickens


Many of you have been asking about how to legalize chickens in your community. Backyard Poultry magazine has a great article with tips and pointers on making hens legal in your area of residence! Read more about this here!

Toronto Eyes Backyard Hens, Eh?


In Toronto, laws currently ban backyard hens; however, according to a Canadian Press report dated Jan. 5, 2012, the city’s licensing and standards committee is voting on whether or not to consider a step toward lifting the ban. Continue reading more. 

Brookfield Gives the Thumbs-Up to Chickens


Last night the Brookfield village board approved the long-sought hen-keeping ordinance! Congrats to the Brookfield chicken group! Read more here on this link!

Brookfield, IL, Chicken Hearing on Monday, 10 Oct.


This coming Monday (10/10) is the day the Village of Brookfield will be voting on the backyard hen ordinance. Please come out! Let’s make one big, last push toward this positive change.

http://brookfieldchickens.blogspot.com/2011/10/monday-1010-is-voting-day.html

Make Your Voice Heard About Food in Cook County, IL


If you are a Cook County resident, this is for you! It comes from the Cook County Food System Steering Committee.

YOUR voice is important. Please share this with others.

**

This is a very exciting moment in Illinois and US food policy:   One of the most populous counties in the country is considering the creation of a food council, as well as specific food issues.

If you live OR work in Cook County, your input is greatly desired.    Below is an e-mail from the Cook County Department of Public Health, which is sponsoring this initiative.   Basically, you can do two things:
1.  Take a survey (deadline Sept. 29).
2.  Attend a public meeting on Oct. 6, 2011.  Pre-registration is absolutely required because space is limited.
Full details are below.
This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard about food production, food processing, food distribution, food retailing, food scrap management, and food systems and food policy in general.   There are spaces for your personal comments on each page.   Whatever you are most concerned about, please mention.

Do you live or work in Cook County, Illinois? If so, you are invited to complete a survey on how government laws, rules, ordinances, regulations and programs affect the way we eat, grow, transport, store, process, distribute, sell, or handle food or food waste.

 The survey results will be used to create recommendations on what issues a proposed Cook County food policy council will focus its efforts. The Cook County food policy council is anticipated to be an official committee that explores cross-agency and cross-jurisdictional food issues and makes recommendations to the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
To access the survey, go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RJJTTSG
You may also answer this survey in Spanish by calling 708-633-8314 or e-mailing jbloyd@ccdph.net. Para contester esta encuesta en espanol, favor de llamar a 708-633-8314; o escriba a jbloyd@ccdph.net.
Please share this opportunity to provide input on the issues of importance related to food in Cook County by forwarding this email to others who live or work in Cook County.
To learn more about the survey or sign up to participate in developing recommendations based on the survey results, go to:http://www.cookcountypublichealth.org/healthy-communities/healthy-eating/food-system-survey
Made possible through funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant. CPPW is a joint project between the Cook County Department of Public Health and the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago.

Urban Chickens: Myth and Fact


This article is great for debunking the backyard chicken myths concerning raising chickens in cities and towns! Another good resource for changing legislation. Enjoy!

Shattering seven urban myths about raising chickens

Information Useful in Amending Chicken-Keeping Ordinances


Folks often call me about changing their city’s chicken legislation, and I can provide some ideas, tips, and pointers. This Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts page is a great source of information on changing city codes and engaging in debates around keeping chickens. This page contains:

  • Model municipal codes (Illinois and other states)
  • Response to common concerns about chicken-keeping in an urban setting
  • Draft ordinance for Chicago

Check out the rest of the info on the site, too!