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I suspect that sort of thing may have been going on and still is. There is a huge attack to close downand forbid small farms to sell goods. Even the choice to buy raw milk is being outlawed. A big battle is going on now in California.
http://www.rosecreekfarms.com/WAPF/S.510.htm
Senate Food Safety Bill
Present 2010
Action Alerts - 2010 Action Alerts
Monday, 04 October 2010
The Senate has returned home without voting on S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, but unfortunately the bill is still alive. Before returning home, the Senate started the process to bring S.510 to the floor for a vote, and it is likely that they will finally vote on it shortly after they re-convene on November 15.
This bill greatly expands FDA's authority over both processed foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, and would give FDA authority to impose extensive, burdensome requirements on even the smallest processing facilities and farms who sell to local consumers.
We need the Tester-Hagan amendment to protect our vulnerable local businesses!
The Senators are back in their home States for the election season. This is an important time to publicize this issue and get their commitment to support the Tester-Hagan amendment!
To take Action or for complete Article "Click here".
January 2010
The Senate Food Safety Bill S.510 has passed committee on the Senate floor and is now waiting for the full Senate vote that will make this bill a law. This is the last vote needed before it is law. We must work fast to contact our Senators and get this bill amended to protect our small farms.
October 2009
The debate on food safety is heating up in Congress. Last Thursday, October 22, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) held a hearing on S. 510, the Senate version of the draconian House food safety bill (H.R. 2749).
While FDA claimed that the bill only covers food in interstate commerce, the language of the bill would impose sweeping regulations on all farms and food processors. Meanwhile, S. 510 does not address the problems of un-inspected imported foods or the contamination from feedlots.
We think this bill is too bad to be fixed and should be defeated!
ACTION TO TAKE:
1. Contact both of your U.S. Senators and ask them to vote NO on S.B. 510 because it will harm local and sustainable foods without fixing the real problems in the mainstream industrial food system.
For contact information, go to
www.congress.org or call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
2. Also contact the Chair and Ranking Member of the HELP Committee:
Chairman Harkin, (p): 202-224-0767, (f): 202-224-5128
Senator Enzi, Ranking Member, (p): 202-224-6770
You will have the greatest impact by faxing a personal letter or visiting their district offices in-person. Next best is a phone call, followed by an email.
TALKING POINTS
1. Although FDA stated that the bill only applies to food in interstate commerce, the language of the bill does not contain any such limitation. On its face, the bill applies to any farm or food producer, regardless of the size or scope of distribution. If the intent truly is to limit the bill to food that is crossing state lines, then it must be amended. And even then, the bill would still negatively impact small farmers and food processors who live near state lines and who cross state lines to reach local farmers markets and coops.
2. The major foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls have all been within the large, industrial food system. Small, local food producers have not contributed to the highly publicized outbreaks. Yet both the House and Senate bills subject the small, local food system to the same, broad federal regulatory oversight that would apply to the industrial food system. Increased regulations, record-keeping obligations, and the penalties and fees could destroy small businesses that bring food to local communities.
3. FDA regulation of local food processors is unnecessary and burdensome. Federal regulations may be needed for industrial processing that source raw ingredients from multiple locations (sometimes imported from other countries) and ship their products across the country, but federal regulation is overkill for small, local processors. Existing state and local public health laws are enough for local food sources.
4. Relying on HACCP will harm small processors. S. 510 applies a complex and burdensome Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system to even the smallest local food processors. Although the concept of preventative controls is a good one, the federal agencies' implementation of HACCP, with its requirements to develop and maintain extensive records, has already proven to be an overwhelming burden for a significant number of small, regional meat processors across the country. In the meat industry, HACCP has not eliminated the spread of E-coli and other pathogens and has resulted in fewer independent inspections of the large slaughter plants where these pathogens originate. At the same time, small, regional processors have been subject to sanctions due to paperwork violations that posed no health threat. While HACCP plans are suited for larger factories, applying a HACCP system to small, local foods processors could drive them out of business, reducing consumers' options to buy fresh, local foods.
5. S. 510 puts FDA on the farm. S. 510 calls for FDA regulation of how farms grow and harvest produce. Given the agency's track record, it is likely that the regulations will discriminate against small, organic, and diversified farms. The House version of the bill directs FDA to consider the impact of its rulemaking on small-scale and diversified farms, but there are no enforceable limits or protections for small diversified and organic farms from inappropriate and burdensome federal rules.
6. S 510 favors foreign farms and producers over domestic. Both S 510 and H.R. 2749 create incentives for retailers to import more food from other countries, both because the bills burden family farms and small business and because it will be practically impossible to hold foreign food facilities to the same standards and inspections. The bills will create a considerable competitive disadvantage for ALL U.S. agriculture and food production (see analysis at
http://ftcldf.org/news/news-20Oct2009-2.html).
NEWS & ALERTS:
House Passes Landmark Food Safety Bill: The US House of Representatives passed a food safety bill on Thursday that promises far-reaching reform of how food is processed and grown, intended to boost food safety and consumer confidence.
READ MORE >>
Food Safety Bill Needs Work The food safety bill that passed the House last Thursday faces an uphill struggle in the Senate. READ MORE >>
Politics of the Plate: Casting the Food Safety Net too Wide A bill recently passed by the House could have detrimental effects on small farmers. READ MORE >>
Food Insecurity NOT Food Safety The FDA has already demonstrated its inability to protect us from food borne illness outbreaks. In fact, Congress is giving them a reward for their failures, in an effort to look like they are doing the right thing for America. READ MORE >>
FDA releases commodity-specific safety rules for melons, tomatoes and leafy greens The Food and Drug Administration has released draft guidance for melons, tomatoes and leafy greens in a process that is expected to lead to more formal regulation of those commodities. READ MORE >>
House Approves New Food-Safety Laws "No legislation like this has moved forward this far in decades to overhaul the food safety laws, It's a pretty historic moment." READ MORE >>
House Approves Food-Safety Bill: Law Would Greatly Expand FDA's Power The House approved the first major changes to food-safety laws in 70 years Thursday, giving sweeping new authority to the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the way food is grown, harvested and processed. READ MORE >>
LEARN MORE ABOUT HR2749... CLICK HERE >>
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***USA - ACTION ALERT***
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A note from Ronny and Pam - Rose Creek Farms
We are facing a very important food and safety issue that may change the way we access and receive local food. The Food and Safety Bill of 2009 has passed the committee on the Senate floor and will soon be voted on by the full Senate. This is the last vote to take place before this becomes law. This bill does not protect the small farm from the full scale of FDA regulations. This bill does not do a good job in separating the small farm from the large scale farms. The food and safety issues we are experiencing in this country are from large scale farming, large scale food processing plants and imported foods. Small local farms growing livestock, produce and fruit, selling directly to the consumer are not part of these terrible problems. For more information on this issue. Please go to
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/index.html.
I was told by a politician once that my "opinion or vote" had the weight of 13,000 "opinions or votes" when I take the time to write or call my politician. I pray this true! We need everyone to contact your representative quickly and tell them we want protection of our small local farms who sell directly to consumers to be excluded from the HACCP and FDA Regulations laid out in this bill. More specifically these items:
*Exempt from the same fees applied to large scale growers.
*Exempt farms selling direct to consumers from on-farm regulation.
*Exempt food processors selling direct to consumers from HACCP.
The number to the congressional switchboard in Washington is 202-224-3121. (This is the number where your voice will be heard the loudest). Ask to speak to Hutchinson's office and same with Cornyn. When someone answers ask for the staffer who handles the food safety issues. You can share with them your thoughts concerning these issues.
Hutchinson local office number is Dallas: 214-361-3500. Cornyn local office number is Dallas 972-239-1310
or send an email to
http://cornyn.senate.gov/
http://hutchison.senate.gov/
Please foreward this letter to as many people as you can. Friends, family and co-workers. We really need to make an impact on these Senators and politicians in other states as well.
