Rep Frank Lucas speaks out against #HR 2749
These words needs to be transcribed.
This is a Historic Day.
We are in a National Food Emergency.
Education is vitally needed.
I agree that we likely have the safest Food around
from a contamination point of view.
So much more is needed.
Food is intended to do so much more for us.
Let Food be They Medicine! needs a massive
return.
BEET KEEPERS, Return!
Date: 7/29/2009 9:48:20 PM ( 15 y ) ... viewed 3619 times
10:41 AM
July 24, 09
Please call your Representative’s office and encourage
him/her to support HR 2749 ONLY if the ideas
included in the proposed Farr/Kaptur amendment
are included in the final bill.
--From RUSSELL LIBBY.
RUSSELL of the MAINE ORGANIC FARMING
and GARDENING ASSOCIATION
has been working with the
ENERGY and COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
They are the group making amendments
to #HR2749.
LET YOUR OPINION BE KNOWN.
CALL SOME REPS AND THANK THEM
FOR VOTING AS THEY DID!
"What concerns me most about this bill is that it could be perilously close to making our Nation’s food safety more difficult to achieve in the long run. While the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 will have some positive impacts on the safety of our Nation’s food supply, it will also have some unintended consequences. In my opinion as a farmer, this legislation needs more refinement before going forward. I do not make this statement lightly or out of self-interest, but out of deep concern for the ultimate safety and security of our country’s food supply."
THE DEPARTMENT OF AG and the FOOD PROGRAM
with EARL BUTTS is covered in KING CORN,
and outstanding DVD.
GO SEE FOOD INC
Uploaded:
July 30, 09
8:44 PM
GO SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO
PROTECT SMALL FARMERS and OUR HEALTH FREEDOMS.
This petition on the site of the FTCLDF
is very well done. When I put in my
contact info, it brought up my representatives
and senators, and opportunity to direct community
with local newspapers. Excellent work.
That is the ENCHANTED GARDEN
PROGRAM. Our position:
We have lost the beat with nature.
Grow a beet to get back in touch.
One pot+One person=You're a Gardener.
A Moment of Awakening is deeply needed now.
From the BROOK LARIOS story
in the EXAMINER, June 3, 09
“I’m playing with the story of an actual beet
that decided she was tired of just sitting
in the ground, watching the human race
become more and more fragmented,
and the beet, whose name is Keep the Beet,
decided to speak up,” said Goldman,
also known to friends as The Enchanted Gardener.
Keep the Beet encourages people to make friends
with a local, organic farmer; purchase the largest beet
they can find and repot it, keeping it alive
as it sprouts billowing, edible green leaves.
FIve Minute humorous and well down Video
about the Forces lining up....parody of
STAR WARS related to Food.
July 30, 09
6:24 AM
This article on the
ORGANIC CONSUMER SITE
appears to give a responsible update
about questions I have about #HR2749.
This update came out later in the afternoon
July 29, 09.
House Rejects Food Safety Bill with Regressive Fee on Farmers
By Ferd Hoefner & Aimee Witteman
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, July 29, 2009
Straight to the Source
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today failed to obtain a two-thirds majority to pass the Food Safety Enhancement Act (HR 2749). The vote was 280-150, 6 votes short of the total needed to pass the bill under suspension of the rules with no debate and no amendments. The bill may now come back to the floor at a later date under regular rules allowing for amendments to be considered.
While the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds Congressional efforts to make the U.S. food supply safer, it finds major flaws in the bill brought up today which works against the interests of small and mid-sized family farms, conservation and the environment, and local and alternative food systems without improving food safety.
“We appreciate Congress’ efforts to strengthen the oversight and enforcement authority of the Food and Drug Administration as well as address some of the concerns of our members and their base of small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers,” said Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director. “In particular, we applaud the common sense provisions in the bill that provide limited exemptions from traceability and registration requirements for direct farmer-to-consumer marketing and farm-to-farm sales.”
$500 FEE STAYS IN
“However, this bill ultimately had great potential to economically harm family farms as a result of overreaching provisions that do nothing to advance the important cause of food safety,” continued Hoefner. “Simple, common sense amendments could fix these flaws and allow us to support passage of the bill. We hope that opportunity might now be provided.”
Among other shortcomings, the bill retains a flat registration fee of $500 per facility that will disproportionately impact small-scale producers who have invested in on-farm value-added processing to meet growing consumer demand and retain a higher share of the food dollar. The same fee would be charged whether the facility was run by a farm family with few if any employees or a multinational corporation with hundreds or thousands of employees.
THIS was REVISED
early JULY 30 around 6 AM
Bill is intended to go through
the HOUSE TODAY.
On July 29, 2009,
This rushed bill came before
the house. It was intended to
be voted on under suspension, with limited
discussion. There were two pro and two con
speakers.
I listened to three of the videos that are
below in this Plant Your Dream Blog.
I listened to Rep FRANK LUCAS First.
He also was quoted in an audio that I heard yesterday
and made a lot of sense.
He said in this video of July 19,
that THEY VOTED ON A BILL
NO ONE HAD TO READ!!!
The papers on the internet report
that the Committee was embarrassed that
they did not get the 2/3 vote.
There was a tremendous outcry over the internet.
The bill fell six votes short of 2/3.
Then they had an emergency meeting,
and decided to bring it up again today
with different rules so it can pass more easily.
I hear that many pages were added going up to 133 pages
in the last 24 hours.
The last I heard there was a FARR-KAPTUR Amendment.
We were told that if this was included, it was o.k. to support
this bill. However, there were still many other areas of concern
that were not addressed in this very comprehensive bill.
I do not know what additional changes are including in this
version or what was addressed.
The things that needed to be addressed concerned
ravaging small farmers and making it even more
hard for their to be small farmers, and small organic
farmers in America.
The paperwork that this bill wanted to add
to small farmers was enough to drive them out of business.
To be educated on this, start with this Video
by REP Frank Lucas:
A MUST SEE VIDEO...
This is REP FRANK LUCAS
July 29, 09
before the HOUSE OF REPRESENATIVES
"This is a stunning failure to fulfill
our legislative responsibility"
CHANGE ORG WRITER SAYS
the morning of July 29, before the
bill.
From Congressional Quarterly, the House is scheduled to vote today on this (no link, subscription required): Food Safety — HR 2749, Food Safety Enhancement Act, is scheduled for House consideration today under suspension of the rules.
The bill overhauls food safety regulations for farms and food processing facilities, requiring more frequent inspections at food facilities and giving the FDA authority to impose criminal and civil penalties.
The measure generally exempts farms from registration requirements and fees, although the bill does establish new regulations for the farming practices for fresh produce. The FDA would have authority to impose mandatory quarantines on geographic areas which are concluded to be the source of contaminated food posing a serious threat to humans or animals.
The House will take up a version of the bill that has been modified as a result of talks between leaders of the Energy and Commerce and Agriculture committees to address concerns of agricultural interests about the role of the FDA in regulating farm activities.
I commented on the above statement
on the Change.org site. This is what I said:
10:32 PM
July 29, 09
You say the measure generally exempts farms from reg requirements and fees.
That was a bone of contention....the definition of farm and food processor. As of yesterday, to my understanding, if a farmer cuts his lettuce, washes it, and cools it overnight before taking it to the Farmers' Market, this is defined as a food processor and subject to the reg fee. Another reports says that even the $500.00 raised would not cover enforcement. $2 Billion is needed. Please check out this details and report back. Also the issue of how much work of additional record keeper would be enough to put small farmers out of business. Please Google:
The Food Safety Enhancement Act Hurts Small Farmers and Organics
The House of Representatives is discussing H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. It's an attempt to address the evermore serious food safety crisis in conventional agriculture, but as it stands, the bill threatens to undermine the most positive development in U.S. agriculture - small organic or transition to organic farmers producing for local markets.
H.R. 2749 needs to draw a clear line between small local growers and industrial/factory farms and processing plants where food borne pathogens incubate, flourish, and spread.
Also, what are these "new regulations for farming practices for fresh produce?" Are you speaking about the Green Leafy Agreements so hard on small conservation minded farmers, or those who understand healthy diversity in the field?
Check out the Kucinich Hearings today on The Green Leafy Agreements July 29:
Thanks for wanting positive change and Food Safety.
This bill still scares me.
Leslie Goldman
Your Enchanted Gardener
10:03 PM
Unless something is different, FARM is Defined as one thing,
and FOOD PROCESSOR as another. A farmer who cuts his lettuce,
washes it, and cools it, is called a Food Processor.
10:01 PM
Currently, the measure would raise money through new $500-a-year fees, which food processors and other facilities would pay. Farms are exempted from the new fee and registration requirements.
THIS PARAGRAPH SOUNDS O.K.
but it just asks them to take into "consideration..."
not do anything...in behalf of...
At least, Organic is mentioned....
This was due to a lot of work
by PASA and MOFGA.
See other blogs I wrote.
Many of them here
on the PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOG
Section 104 requires the Secretary, in issuing the regulations under this section, to take into consideration,consistent with ensuring enforceable public health protection, the impact of any regulations issued under
this section on small-scale and diversified farms, and on wildlife habitat, conservation practices, water-shed protection efforts, and organic production methods. The Secretary is permitted to provide for
coordination with other entities and provide for recognition through guidance of other existing publicly available procedures, processes, and practices that the Secretary determines to be equivalent to the goals
established under this section.
The Food Safety Enhancement Act Hurts Small Farmers and Organics
The House of Representatives is discussing H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. It's an attempt to address the evermore serious food safety crisis in conventional agriculture, but as it stands, the bill threatens to undermine the most positive development in U.S. agriculture - small organic or transition to organic farmers producing for local markets. H.R. 2749 needs to draw a clear line between small local growers and industrial/factory farms and processing plants where food borne pathogens incubate, flourish, and spread.
THIS CAME FROM an IMPORTANT
ALERT I FOUND A FEW HOURS AGO
8:14 PM
July 29, 09
Read about this bill
ACTION ALERT Enter Your Zip Code:
H.R. 2749 The Food Safety Enhancement Act
UPDATE -- July 29, 2009, 3:30 PM: Concerns of organic farmers and small producers prevented the House from passing H.R. 2749 today! Find out how your Congressperson voted here.
The House of Representatives is voting today (July 29, 2009) on H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. It's an attempt to address the worst problems in U.S. agriculture, but as it stands the bill threatens to undermine the best things in U.S. agriculture - small farmers producing for local markets.
Please contact your Representative immediately and urge them to Vote No!
You can watch the vote on H.R. 2749 on C-SPAN now.
Also today, Representative Dennis Kucinich is holding an important food safety hearing: Ready to Eat or Not?: Examining the Impact of Leafy Green Marketing Agreements
This hearing examines one of the most pressing concerns of organic farmers, that food safety regulations for leafy greens could force them to destroy wildlife habitat (natural buffers that protect soil and water quality), poison frogs and create barriers to wildlife on the theory that wildlife might carry pathogens like E. coli into their fields (even though only 0.5% of wildlife carry E. coli O157). The Wild Farm Alliance has more information on this topic.
The Spirit of the Founding Fathers
needs to be called in on this.
This is a Dark Night for the American Soul.
The Earth and the Soul are Soilmates.
We are losing out.
HERE is the seccond Against Video on
#HR 2749, from the 40 minutes allotted
before the bill failed to pass.
REP STEVE KING SPEAKS OUT AGAINST
FOOD SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT 2009
July 29, 09 #HR2749
HERE IS A NOTE ABOUT THE FAILURE
OF THE 2/3 VOTE
7:36 PM
July 29, 09
Food Safety Bill Falls On Suspension Vote
Perhaps H.R. 2749 was more controversial than the House Majority Whip's office anticipated? Maybe the convergence of different farm interest groups and their voice on Capitol Hill was more influential than one might think? Whatever the reason, H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act failed to garner the necessary 2/3s vote of members voting and present in favor of the bill,which is required when legislation is brought to the House floor for a vote under the Suspension of the Rules.
However, the legislation did have enough Yea votes to pass under regular rules, so those against the legislation still have their work cut out for them. H.R. 2749 received 280 Yea votes (230 from Democrats and 50 from Republicans) and 150 Nay votes (23 from Democrats and 127 from Republicans). To see a break down of the vote from the Clerk of the House click here.
To see previous Ag and Food Law Blog posts on this issue click here.
They are hell bent to pass this.
I am feeling discouraged.
It is definitely a stream roll.
It comes up tomorrow.
There is a disconnect between what
folks I see doing their life and
the people in Washington who are legislating.
They have have heard us, but not enough of us
are speaking up. IT is not on our radar,
and the education that is needed is not
on Washington's radars...
I am going to copy today's Utubes
on the PLANT YOUR DREAM BlOG.
I do feel like David and Goliath right now.
We defeated a monster today, but that adversary
will be back tomorrow.
I have other things to tend to.
Welcome to the U.S. Agricultural & Food Law and Policy Blog
A comprehensive news, research, and information resource for the nation’s agricultural community.
Provided as a partnership of the National Agricultural Law Center, the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information, and the American Agricultural Law Association, the only national professional organization focusing on the legal needs of the agricultural community.
Emergency Meeting Gives Food Safety Bill Another Shot
The House Committee on Rules held an “emergency meeting” today, Jul 29, 2009, to discuss the future of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act.
Early today H.R. 2749 failed to garner the required two-thirds majority of the members “present and voting” necessary for a bill to pass under Suspension of the Rules; however, the legislation did have enough votes to pass under regular order. And that appears to be the next step according to sources on Capitol Hill.
The conclusion of the “emergency meeting” is that H.R. 2749 will come to the House floor for a vote under a “closed-rule,” which means no amendments were made in order. The bill, which is somewhat controversial among those in the agricultural community, will likely pass tomorrow by a significant majority based on today's Suspension of the Rules vote outcome. To see the Rules Committee announcement click here. To see previous blog posts on this issue click here.
Posted: 07/29/09
Content Area: Congress, Food Safety
Video of the Floor Debate on Food Safety
Today, the House debated the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2749). For a post on the bill's fate, click here. Here are video clips of some of the House members who rose in support or opposition of the bill.
Speaking in support of the bill is the Rep. Diana DeGette and Rep. Adam Putnam.
Finally, in opposition of the bill is Rep. Frank Lucas and Rep. Steven King.
REP DIANA DeGETTE SPOKE IN FAVOR
She was a good choice to get Yes votes.
What she says points out a few good points
Speaking in support of the bill is the Rep. Diana DeGette and Rep. Adam Putnam.
SECOND YEA SPEAKER
RELATED:
ANYONE saying anything
to educate anyone about this?
This is from the links
on one of the above sites I was exploring.
Got to tend to finances today.
Back later. It is now. 6:05 AM
July 30, 09. The plan is likely to
bring this up and have it pass the house.
I have my computer set up to hear the
debate on C-SPAN. C-SPAN does
a wonderful job of gavel to gavel coverage.
I am listening in the background to a
discussion on Health Care Bill now.
I discovered some good links where to see
what happens related to this.
Here is one link that had the videos yesterday
and will likely have them today.
7:20 PM
July 29, 09
This site has Videos..
and follows the Ag events
In the House.
Lots of great links aboutSterilizing the farm as a way to handle
contamination. This will never work.:
The Issue of sterilizing the farm
is embedded within the Leafy Green Marketing Guidelines.
The Leafy Green Marketing Guidelines permeate
the popular mindset behind #HR2749
Check out this Link for
understanding this issue:
Turning a New Leafy Green
Diagnosis and Treatment: Sterilizing the family farm
may not be the best way to keep E. coli out of your salad.
ACTION ALERT OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIC COALITION.
THESE ARE NOT FULLY ADDRESSED IN THE BILL
as of JULY 30 VOTE:
He writes, "Since the Action Alert is not on either the NSAC or the NOC websites, I’ve posted it on my website"
CHRYS has an outstanding site,
called THE FUTURE IS ORGANIC.
These are the questions they would like posed
at this mornings hearing and future hearings:
1) Why are all food "facilities" under the proposed new law, even those that gross well under $500,000 annually, subject to the same registration fee of $500 each year? Isn't this a regressive tax that disproportionately impacts smaller producers? Why would a small processor have to pay the same annual fee as the largest facilities in our food system?
2) If left as is, provisions in the HR 2749 bill could encourage farmers to tear out important wildlife habitat and buffer strips that protect streams and rivers in an effort to try to create a "sterile" on-farm environment free of bacteria. What do you know about this? Can't we harmonize the safety of our food supply with environmental protection?
3) I'm concerned that organic producers who already have to comply with food safety standards outlined in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 will be burdened by another set of separate standards if HR 2749 becomes law. What can be done to ensure we are not creating a disincentive for farmers to transition to organic?
4) Farmers that sell directly to consumers or who use marketing strategies that preserve the identity of their farm products pose less of a food safety risk because their products are easily traced back to their farm. Should there be a comprehensive exemption for these kinds of farms in HR 2749?
THE NATURAL PRODUCT INDUSTRY
NEEDS TO BE BETTER ADVISED ABOUT THIS BILL!!!
NO!!! this is just momentary.
They need to be told to write legislators
and ask for better legislation...
Food Safety Bill Defeated in House
According to an article on Yahoo!, the House defeated a far-reaching food safety bill Wednesday after farm-state lawmakers complained it would be too invasive and others said it was pushed to the floor too quickly. The legislation, which would require more government inspections and oversight of food manufacturers in the wake of a massive salmonella outbreak in peanuts, was considered under a suspension of House rules and needed a two-thirds vote for passage. The 280-150 vote was just a few shy of that threshold.
Internet Resources:
Article on Yahoo! News
FORMER FARMER VOTED AGAINST IT
A handful of Democrats supportive of organic farming also voted against the bill. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, a former organic farmer, said she opposed the bill because it would have imposed too many burdens on small farms that are already producing food that's considered safe.
"This would require them to got through a whole other layer of tracking and bureaucracy that they are already taking care of," she said.
INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE
FROM POISON FOOD JOURNAL SITE!!!
Consumer Advocates Frustrated by Defeat of HR 2749, Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009
Posted on July 29, 2009 by Mary Siceloff
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Today’s failed attempt at comprehensive food safety reform left consumer advocates deeply disappointed, but ready to resume the fight.
Many in the food safety community expected to have the votes to pass HR 2749, a bipartisan measure that unanimously passed out of committee in June, but the measure fell just short of the supermajority required under a suspension of the rules.
Pat Buck, the executive director of the Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention whose grandson, Kevin, died from eating an E. coli tainted hamburger said she was frustrated about today’s vote, “Personally, I’m devastated. Really what happened was that some Congressional members put special interests ahead of public health.”
“Congress lost sight of the bigger picture,” said Buck, who points to issues over the special rules and the burden on small farmers as distractions from the larger issue: that we need stronger regulations for a safer food supply. “It doesn’t matter where food comes from, it needs to be safe. No one wants to see small farmers suffer, but right now, American families are suffering and that's not right.”
“It is disappointing,” adds Donna Rosenbaum, executive director of Safe Tables Our Priority (S.T.O.P.). “A combination of things happened here. It was unfortunate timing with the recess. Changes to satisfy certain groups weren’t made public in time, there was a lot of misinformation about small and sustainable farmers.”
A spokesman for Food & Water Watch agreed, explaining that even with last minute changes to appease small farmers many key farm groups still voiced opposition to the legislation this morning, a move that helped pressure key members to withdraw support.
Rosenbaum’s frustration over the legislative setback is clear. “Hairdressers pay a similar annual fee in some states! We’re talking about the food we ingest! To us, improving regulation and funding is a no brainer.” Rosenbaum was also frustrated by the debate on the House floor, pointing out that several lawmakers furthered the “ridiculous” notion that the U.S. has the safest food supply in the world. “I am not sure where they got their information, but we have found that, on a comparative basis, that is really not true, we are behind other countries.”
Food safety advocate and attorney Bill Marler added “Frankly, after a dozen years without any significant positive change in food safety legislation, I really thought congress and business – both small and large – would put public safety before narrow commercial interests. Consumers suffered today because of congressional inaction.”
After the disappointing vote, a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House will take up the bill again tomorrow under rules requiring a simple majority for passage, which will leave the legislation vulnerable to weakening amendments. Meanwhile, consumer advocates gear up for another fight against special interests. As Rosenbaum puts it, “We’re not going anywhere anytime soon. There are still opportunities and we will try again.”
Click to see which members of Congress voted against HR 2749.
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