HR 875 - Could this could affect your production of Eggs and Meat??

[PacsMan]

Hi,
I'm a member of a garden group, and this email came across today. While the email talks a lot about organic gardening, in the bill it also mentions back yard egg and meat production.

I haven't had time to go through it, but it sounds like there could be some serious rules pertaining to back yard chickens!

Could someone with more time read through it and let us know?

Here's the post in it's entirety;
BOLD and Italics added

=-=-=-
I have seen this a few time in the past week and wondered if it would show up on this site. I did not want to post anything until I was more informed. It is a LONG bill and I have not read it all but the sections outlined below are a good starting place. This is a very bad bill. While the bill is not directly targeting backyard gardens, they are clearly not excluded either.
-----------------------
HR 875 The food police, criminalizing organic farming and the backyard gardener, and violation of the 10th amendment

HR 875 is in committee at this point and if you care about gardening (which everyone in this group does) then you NEED to read this bill and get involved!!

Pay special attention to;
* Section 3 which is the definitions portion of the bill-read in it's entirety.
* section 103, 206 and 207- read in it's entirety.

What it Does:
* Legally binds state agriculture depts to enforcing federal guidelines effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal dept.
* Effectively criminalizes organic farming but doesn't actually use the word organic.
* Effects anyone growing food even if they are not selling it but consuming it.
* Effects anyone producing meat of any kind including wild game.
* Legislation is so broad based that every aspect of growing or producing food can be made illegal. There are no specifics which is bizarre considering how long the legislation is.
* Section 103 is almost entirely about the administrative aspect of the
legislation. It will allow the appointing of officials from the factory farming corporations and lobbyists and classify them as experts and allow them to determine and interpret the legislation. Who do you think they are going to side with?
* Section 206 defines what will be considered a food production facility and what will be enforced up all food production facilities. The wording is so broad based that a backyard gardener could be fined and more.
* Section 207 requires that the state's agriculture dept act as the food
police and enforce the federal requirements. This takes away the states power and is in violation of the 10th amendment.

Please see these links for more details:

The Bill HR 875:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875
or
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h875ih.txt.pdf

An Overview:
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=12671

Another Overview: (youtube video)
http://dprogram.net/2009/03/09/video-bill-to-“ban”-organic-farming/
=-=-=-

Edit; (bad link update)

 

[scbatz33]

This whole concept is so scary. And who do you think benefits? Why the big food producers. Why do you think Monsantois all about backing this thing. Who is in bed with Monsanto? Why the gal from CT who sponsored the bill - her husband works for them!!!

We need to wake up America!

 

[beak]

Without going into details it is for large production facilities only. It is to protect you from the large corporations that don't care about you. Read the exemptions.

 

[PacsMan]

Quote:
Would you mind going into some detail for us? Reading over the bill, I'm just not clear as to what they're saying.

Thanks!

Marty

 

[scbatz33]

No where in the bill I've seen does it specify anything about only being for large facilities. The whole wording of the bill is very vague....

Here are the definitions the bill proposes for facilities that are included...
13) FOOD ESTABLISHMENT-

(A) IN GENERAL- The term ‘food establishment’ means a slaughterhouse (except those regulated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act), factory, warehouse, or facility owned or operated by a person located in any State that processes food or a facility that holds, stores, or transports food or food ingredients.

(B) EXCLUSIONS- For the purposes of registration, the term ‘food establishment’ does not include a food production facility as defined in paragraph (14), restaurant, other retail food establishment, nonprofit food establishment in which food is prepared for or served directly to the consumer, or fishing vessel (other than a fishing vessel engaged in processing, as that term is defined in section 123.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations).

(14) FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITY- The term ‘food production facility’ means any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.

It seems to me we are all "food production facilities". There is no size requirement. we could all be seen as farms or confined animal feeding operation. How many of you keep your birds in coops? Is that no a definition of confined?????

 

[scbatz33]

Also look at the definition for "food establishment".

The term ‘food establishment’ means a slaughterhouse (except those regulated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act), factory, warehouse, or facility owned or operated by a person located in any State that processes food or a facility that holds, stores, or transports food or food ingredients.

How many of you kill your own birds? Do you freeze them, store them or keep them in your home? Guess what, This language does not exclude you. It says ANY facility ownede or operated by a person in ANY state. This is us folks. All you substainable farmers, homesteaders, backyard growers....It's you, It's me, It's everyone!

If we stick our heads inteh sand about this and say it isn't referring to "me" we are all gonna be really sorry when the Feds come knocking.

 

[scbatz33]

Here's what they plan on doing......

SEC. 205. INSPECTIONS OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.
(1) CATEGORY 1 FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS- A category 1 food establishment shall be subject to antemortem, postmortem, and continuous inspection of each slaughter line during all operating hours, and other inspection on a daily basis, sufficient to verify that--

(A) diseased animals are not offered for slaughter;

(B) the food establishment has successfully identified and removed from the slaughter line visibly defective or contaminated carcasses, has avoided cross-contamination, and has destroyed or reprocessed such carcasses in a manner acceptable to the Administrator; and

(C) applicable performance standards and other provisions of the food safety law, including those intended to eliminate or reduce pathogens, have been satisfied.

(2) CATEGORY 2 FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS- A category 2 food establishment shall--

(A) have ongoing verification that its processes are controlled; and

(B) be randomly inspected at least weekly.

(3) CATEGORY 3 FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS- A category 3 food establishment shall--

(A) have ongoing verification that its processes are controlled; and

(B) be randomly inspected at least monthly.

(4) CATEGORY 4 FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS- A category 4 food establishment shall--

(A) have ongoing verification that its processes are controlled; and

(B) be randomly inspected at least quarterly.

(5) CATEGORY 5 FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS- A category 5 food establishment shall--

(A) have ongoing verification that its processes are controlled; and

(B) be randomly inspected at least annually.


SEC. 206. FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITIES.

(a) Authorities- In carrying out the duties of the Administrator and the purposes of this Act, the Administrator shall have the authority, with respect to food production facilities, to--

(1) visit and inspect food production facilities in the United States and in foreign countries to determine if they are operating in compliance with the requirements of the food safety law;

(2) review food safety records as required to be kept by the Administrator under section 210 and for other food safety purposes;

(3) set good practice standards to protect the public and animal health and promote food safety;

(4) conduct monitoring and surveillance of animals, plants, products, or the environment, as appropriate; and

(5) collect and maintain information relevant to public health and farm practices.

 

[wilds of pa]

can you believe the even want to corner the seed market.. i cant believe it..

That means only certain companies will be able to to sell seeds for planting.....

guns will soon be blazing big time in this country if they don't end this big nitemare...

best bet and do this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=128521

 

[spook]

This helped us out, check it out please, it was the same conversations as you have.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=142272

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
MONSANTO, MONSANTO, MONSANTO!!!!

He who has the most lobbiests wins!!!