US citizens do you know you you lack a very basic right?

[Omniskies]

In other words, someone heard something scary, didn't stop to figure out what is _actually_ going on, and jumped to frighten everyone else.

And from there things have devolved into "The sky is falling because the government is trying to get us to live in state mandated caves!"

By the time this thread is over Americans will have lost the right to use the bathroom without being watched on camera and we will have a 1-800 number to call to find out what we are allowed to eat for dinner tonight.

Knee-jerk is right. It's embarrassing for other countries to see us act this way. It really screws up our national superiority complex

 

[Amyable]

While there is no current pending legislation that seeks to ban backyard gardens per se, there is a worrisome tone in the FDA, epitomized by these statements filed by FDA in response to a FTCLDF lawsuit over raw milk:

"Plaintiffs' assertion of a new 'fundamental right' to produce, obtain, and consume unpasteurized milk lacks any support in law." [p. 4]

"There is no absolute right to consume or feed children any particular food." [p. 25]

"There is no 'deeply rooted' historical tradition of unfettered access to foods of all kinds." [p. 26]

"Plaintiffs' assertion of a 'fundamental right to their own bodily and physical health, which includes what foods they do and do not choose to consume for themselves and their families' is similarly unavailing because plaintiffs do not have a fundamental right to obtain any food they wish." [p. 26]

"There is no fundamental right to freedom of contract." [p. 27]

This is not conspiracy theory. This is what the current FDA thought is. They and their lawyers have put it in black and white. I don't think those of us who are very concerned are blowing things out of proportion. FDA's position is that "no one should consume raw milk for any reason at any time." Now that would be fine if they only advocated, but the agency wishes to enforce it as well.

 

[Omniskies]

My Googling skills may suck, but I'm only finding those quotes on websites that are outraged that this is happening in the first place. I can't find "produce, obtain, and consume unpasteurized milk lacks any support in law."

All 44 results for that quote are on scary sites. Can someone direct me to a .gov site that shows the ENTIRE bill?

You know, the current, up-to-date bill. The whole thing.

 

[welsummerchicks]

That is, I believe, the only place you will find those quotes. Even if the court said that, I don't think enough context is provided to allow any assumptions of that whose quotes mean.

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
http://www.organicpastures.com/pdfs/FDA dismissal documents FTCLDF CFR 1240.61 .pdf This is what I found with a quick search. I have limited time right now, can look more later.

 

[Omniskies]

Please look it over. Please, please read it. For it shall be awesome when you do

Here's a quote from that article:

Plaintiffs are individuals who purchase unpasteurized milk in states where those
purchases are lawful and then transport the products for personal consumption into
states where the sale of such products is unlawful, Am. Compl. ¶¶ 6-29, who contract
with an agent to obtain unpasteurized milk from a state where such products are lawful
and then receive them in a state where the sale of such products is unlawful, id. ¶¶ 30-
35, who sell unpasteurized milk to out-of-state residents in a state where those sales
are lawful, id. ¶¶ 36-43, and a non-profit organization that “defends and protects the
right of farmers to directly provide, and for consumers to directly obtain, unprocessed
and processed farm foods” and whose members “are strongly opposed to the
enforcement” of FDA’s regulations, id. ¶¶ 4-5, 51-54. Plaintiffs seek a ruling by this
Court that FDA’s regulations are illegal as applied to them so that they may “travel
across State lines with legally obtained raw dairy products; . . . provide for the care and
well being of themselves and their families;” and “produce, obtain and consume the
foods of their choice.” Id. ¶ 60.

Noticeably absent from plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint, however, is any allegation
that FDA’s regulations have ever been interpreted or enforced in the manner feared by
plaintiffs. In fact, the government has neither brought nor threatened to bring a single
enforcement action against consumers who purchase unpasteurized milk for personal
consumption or retailers of such products who do not engage in interstate commerce.
Plaintiffs have no standing to bring this speculative pre-enforcement challenge, their
case is not ripe, and long standing Supreme Court precedent establishes that FDA
enforcement actions may not be enjoined.

You can just feel the author of that sighing when he wrote it out

I'm all for a democracy. But in order for a democracy to work, people have to be willing to work for the democracy. That means that you have to be willing to do your own legwork and stop relying on shock-and-awe tactics used to make all of us think our government is a sinister group of Illuminati-controled, mustache stroking villains who get up every morning to drink the tears of virgins and feast on the condensed fears of a population it strives to rule under an iron fist as a Socialist-Communist-Nazi-Mason regime.

Also, as snarky as all that was, I genuinely do appreciate the link being posted. Google just wouldn't bring it up for me, which was really frustrating.​

 

[welsummerchicks]

That's what I was trying to say.

 

[Hillsvale]

Quote:
Omni if your referring to me hearing something scary... that was not my intent behind starting this thread.... my intent was to hear others thoughts on the governments regulations on so much of what we do particularly with food (and I mean we as in those of us trying to provide our family with wholesome, home grown food) .... this post was as a result of Simon's MBA studies and current assignment with regards to government regulation (world wide regulations not just Canada or US).

For the poster that commented on the government not enforcing raw milk sales... they have here, the gentleman got a nice fine for it too!

 

[BlackBart]

I appreciate you bringing up the topic Hillsvale. I have been hearing more and more about people getting strong armed.
A farmer was just shut down for growing vegetables not too far from me. The article is a bit slim on facts.
http://blog.gonanaimo.com/lantzville-bans-urban-farming

In the Fraser Valley, a prime agricultural area of Vancouver, some of the McMansion people who have bought on the borders now are petitioning the local Government to have the farm status removed, therefore the farm would be not zoned for that area.
They don't like how the farms look and smell. Some of those farms produce the food they eat and have been doing so for generations. They were there long before the McMansions were built.
When you have five McMansion incomes/tax base fighting one farmer who has less income and less property taxes. What do you think the eventual outcome will be?

I know what is going on in my own area and Provinces (Alberta) close to me. Police entering people's homes in Swat gear because those farmers are selling raw milk, regardless of a co-op share.
Its not a conspiracy, it is fact.
The question arises why such force of strength and intimidation? It is meant to scare other people who might be thinking of doing the same.
Watch the farmageddon trailer, that is USA based. http://ftcldf.org/news/Digest_Canty_Farmageddon_Trailer_111710.htm

It is ridiculous and scary. Scary because somebody could get hurt, it is just a matter of time. It is milk, not meth.

I would like those resources channeled into the illegal drug trade, human smuggling or terrorism etc..

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-510
Here's the text. It's complicated and confusing. Please remember to not only look for what it says but also what it doesn't say. It still may end up with heaven knows what tacked on or cut out. The point is to be aware and don't sit idle and complain to your friends; let your legislators know how you feel about this...