[Okc] An agriculture-regulatory outrage in OKC

[Robert Waldrop]

In the summer before we organized the Oklahoma
Food Cooperative, while we were working on the
details, I was up on North Western in OKC and
noticed a little sign in front of a house, "Fresh
Vegetables for Sale".  I stopped and bought some
potatoes.  They were very good.  The lady there
has 3 acres and for many years has grown
vegetables on her property and sold them.  It's
not exactly a Wal Mart scale operation.

She called me this morning and told me that this
year the city told her she had to have a license.
She went down to get one, but was told that she
couldn't sell ANYTHING from her home.

We talked a bit about the co-op, and I also
explained the CSA concept to her.  She is going to
think about her options and decide early in the
spring whether she will continue to grow and sell
vegetables or just stop market gardening
altogether.

The culprits here are the Oklahoma City Council
and whoever is in charge of their licensing
operation.

I invite everybody to send emails/letters to the
mayor of Oklahoma City, and their city council
persons and let them know what you think about
this regulatory travesty.  People who live outside
of Oklahoma City should contact the Mayor of
Oklahoma City.

You'd think the city would welcome this kind of
entrepreneurial activity.  It creates wealth and
increases the quality of life for everyone in the
city.  It's about time Oklahoma City government
started to operate to embrace the core values of
our cooperative:  economic viability,
environmental sustainability, and social justice.

Robert Waldrop
Oklahoma Food Cooperative

CONTACT INFO FOR THE OKLAHOMA CITY COUNCIL

Mick Cornett, Mayor , mayor at okc.gov
00 N Walker, 3rd Floor
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
405-297-2424
fax 405-297-3759

Note: if sending snail mail, the addresses below
will all be Oklahoma City, OK 73102.

Garry Mars, Ward 1, ward1 at okc.gov ,
His contact info was not listed at the City's
website, but it looks like they all have the same
fax number, 297-3003

Sam Bowman, Ward 2, ward2 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2402
405 297-3003 Fax

Lawrence McAtee, Jr., Ward 3 ward3 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2404
405 297-3003 Fax

Pete White, Ward 4, ward4 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2402
Fax 405 297-3003

Jerry Foshee, Ward 5, ward5 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2569
Fax 405 297-3003

Ann Simank, Ward 6, ward6 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2402
Fax 405 297-3003

Willa Johnson, Ward 7, ward7 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2569
Fax 405 297-3003

Patrick J. Ryan, Ward 8, ward8 at okc.gov
200 N Walker, 3rd floor
405 297-2404
Fax 405 297-3003