Updated: July 10
Old video on bills that could make organic farming illegal.
This Video may not have accurate info, but leaving it here.
GOOGLE; FSEA HR2749 for more info
and to keep up with this bill now
active in Congress.
Date: 7/9/2009 9:12:18 AM ( 15 y ) ... viewed 1583 times
After thoroughly analyzing the text of H.R. 2749,
the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund reports
that small farms and local producers and small business
would be forced to endure “a one-size-fits-all regulatory scheme”
that would “disproportionately impact their operations for the worse.”
The bill contains frightening and costly requirements,
with severe penalties for individuals who are found
non-compliant by the FDA.
111th U.S. Congress - House Bill HR 2749 [Click here for FAQs]
A new food safety bill is on the fast track in Congress--HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. The bill needs to be stopped!
HR 2749 gives FDA tremendous power while significantly diminishing existing judicial restraints on actions taken by the agency. The bill would impose a one-size-fits-all regulatory scheme on small farms and local artisanal producers; and it would disproportionately impact their operations for the worse.
HR 2749 does not address underlying causes of food safety problems such as industrial agriculture practices and the consolidation of our food supply. The industrial food system and food imports are badly in need of effective regulation, but the HR 2749 does not specifically direct regulation or resources to these areas.
ALARMING PROVISIONS (see Talking Points):
* Power to Quarantine a Geographic Area; the FDA can also Halt All Movement of All Food in a geographic area.
* Random Warrantless Searches of Business Records.
* Establishing a Tracing System for Food.
* Severe Criminal and Civil Penalties.
* Annual Registration Fee of $500.
* Regulation of How Crops Are Raised and Harvested.
Looking back at the emails
I got most recently.
What is the activity of the latest bill
that was in the email???
vesting, packing, sorting, transporting, and holding of raw agricultural commodities that–(1) are from a plant or a fungus; and (2) for which the Secretary has determined that such standards minimize the risk of serious adverse health consequences or death to human or animals.” [section 104(b), sec 419A(a)–p. 31]
Any issued regulation “may include standards addressing manure use, water quality, employee hygiene, sanitation and animal control, and temperature controls, as the Secretary determines to be reasonably necessary.” [section 104(b), sec 419A(b)(3)–p. 32]
In issuing the regulation, the Secretary “shall take into consideration, consistent with ensuring enforceable public health protection, the impact on small-scale and diversified farms, and on wildlife habitat, conservation practices, watershed-protection efforts, and organic production methods” [section 104(b), sec 419A(b)(7)–pp. 32-33]
Based on the FDA’s track record with “good agricultural practices”, the agency is unlikely to adequately address the differences between industrial operations and sustainable farms. The danger is that FDA will adopt regulations that treat small farms growing a diversity of crops organically (whether certified or not) the same as a facility growing thousands of acres of a single crop conventionally. The regulations could be expensive and burdensome, or simply not feasible, for small farms. Any produce that does not meet the established safety standards would be considered adulterated under the FSEA [section 104(a)–p. 30].
Aside from produce, the Secretary is charged with issuing “science-based performance standards . . . applicable to foods or food classes.” The Secretary is to “identify the most significant foodborne contaminants and the most significant resulting hazards . . .” and “to minimize to an acceptable level, prevent or eliminate the occurrence of such hazards” [section 103(b), sec 419–pp. 29-30]. Food that “has been manufactured, processed, packed, transported, or held under conditions that do not meet [these] standards” is considered as adulterated under the FSEA. FDA would have the power to make pasteurization of raw milk a performance standard.
FROM JILL RICHARDSON,
This appears to be a few months old...
OLDER, NEED TO STUDY HOW
RELEVANT THIS IS NOW,
ABOVE PETITION in must current
as of July 10, 09/
GO SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO
PREVENT CRIMINALIZING ORGANIC FARMING:
H.R. 875 and S. 425 [and similar bills such
a H.R. 759 and HR 2749]
We need to rally people immediately.
GO SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO
PREVENT CRIMINALIZING ORGANIC FARMING:
H.R. 875 and S. 425 [and similar bills such
a H.R. 759 and HR 2749]
We need to rally people immediately.
* Section 3 which is the definitions portion of the bill-read in it’s entirety.
* section 103, 206 and 207- read in its entirety.
What it Does:
* Legally binds state agriculture departments to enforce federal guidelines effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal government.
* Effectively criminalizes organic farming, but doesn’t actually use the word 'organic.'
* Affects anyone growing food, even if they are not selling it but consuming it.
* Affects 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 upon 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 department act as the food police and enforce the federal requirements. This takes away the states power and is in violation of the 10th amendment.
(Note from Ken Adachi: The woman announcer in this video mentions the group "Democracy in Action", but I can't any such group except for a parking web site and referal to a Salsa dance site. There is a satellite dish-based TV outlet called Free Speech TV, but I don't know if this woman is part of that or not. The video may be a fake, but I don't really know. Update Mar 15, 2009: See letter below confirming authenticity of this reporter as Mizan Nunes)
"Every bill has it’s sponsors. We must first identify them. Now we know who is against the people with strong corporate interests (or worse). Inundate them with email, snail mail, or phone calls. Let them know the people are watching their stealthy tactics. WE MUST not let them succeed. No prisoners here. They win because of the passivity of the American People. We must wake up now or the country we so love will become a shadow of what we knew."
HR 875 House of Representatives sponsors:
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 4, 2009
1. Ms. DELAURO (for herself,
2. Ms. ESHOO,
3. Ms. DEGETTE,
4. Ms. SCHAKOWSKY,
5. Mr. ENGEL,
6. Ms. CASTOR of Florida,
7. Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut,
8. Ms. SUTTON,
9. Mrs. LOWEY,
10. Ms. SLAUGHTER,
11. Mr. HINCHEY,
12. Mr. MCGOVERN,
13. Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ,
14. Ms. HIRONO,
15. Mr. GRIJALVA,
16. Mr. SCHAUER,
17. Mr. NADLER of New York,
18. Mr. BISHOP of New York,
19. Ms. LINDA T.SANCHEZ of California,
20. Mr. MCDERMOTT,
21. Mr. RYAN of Ohio,
22. Ms. GIFFORDS,
23. Mr. FILNER,
24. Mr. HALL of New York,
25. Ms. LEE of California,
26. Ms. PINGREE of Maine,
27. Ms. KAPTUR,
28. Mr. BISHOP of Georgia,
29. Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, and
30. Mr. DEFAZIO)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 5 "Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009".
***
Senate S 425: Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act
A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the establishment of a traceability system for food, to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspections Act, the Egg Products Inspection Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for improved public health and food safety through enhanced enforcement, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-OH] (no cosponsors)
Related
Forward by Liam Buell
Bills Could Reorganize Farming and Criminalize Organic Farming
Written by Megan Prusynski
Published on March 10th, 2009
11 Comments
for introduction into interstate commerce adulterated food."
FTCLDF concludes the following:
"While higher penalties may....deter industrial food companies from repeated dangerous violations, the (FDA) has a track record of pursuing small farmers and producers; these penalties could be imposed to ruin people for actions that pose no threat to human health."
The FDA notoriously serves the interests of industries it represents and betrays the public's well-being. Jeopardizing safer alternative sources to industrialized food is a frightening prospect to consider.
In 1970, Henry Kissinger said: "Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control people." Concentrating control in the hands of a few Ag giants places everyone at risk. They plan world domination by patenting all life forms to force-feed GMO foods on everyone - even though eating them risks harm to human health. It's why FTCLDF supports small family farms, too vital to lose. It's why FSEA must be stopped. "Any food safety bill should target industrial food processors and imports while leaving (the nation's safe) local food system alone." Obama's plan does the opposite.
Thanks for the linkage on that.People really need to read up on the 'Codex Alimentarius' The US and Canadian Governments,are both signatories to it,as
are a metric ton of other countries.
Its plans go into full effect this December of 2009,and are far far worse
then the above.As the above is just one,small,plank of it all.None of it is tin,as it can all be looked up and read -freely- on the WHO's own website.
Dr Rima Laibow MD. She has a 40 minute presentation on Youtube / Google video that should be watched by all,who are at all concerned about any of this.Including this HR2749.
I first found out about this through my now retired GP up here in Ontario,about 5 years ago !
He was a military Dr,from Great Britain,that came over here in the 80's.Very kind and down to earth,conservative,and laid back,until you asked him about this.
Again,I am amazed that more people arent talking about this.
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The last official act of a corrupt government is to loot the nation.
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.
P. J. O'Rourke
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