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Food Safety #HR 2749 Needs Work-- Ag Committee
Press Release from the U.S. House of Representaties
Committee on Agriculture
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2009.
Date: 7/18/2009 1:53:16 PM ( 15 y ) ... viewed 4147 times
VOTE ANTICIPATED ON #HR2749
today, July 28, 2009
TELL ALL TO CALL AND VOTE NO
WHY NO in a NUTSHELL
http://countercultureliving.com/KCCBlog/hr-2749-oh-no/comment-page-1/#comment-67
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE TIMING
OF WHAT BILLS COME UP WHEN TODAY:
http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.html
HERE ARE PHONE NUMBERS YOU CAN CALL
beside your own REPRESENTATIVE:
http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/mcapdir.html
PHONES of AG COMMITTEE HOUSE MEMBERS
http://curezone.com/blogs/c/fm.asp?i=1463600
update
July 28, 09
7:29 AM
5:08 pm
July 18, 09
on iPhone now.
This blog needs clarification.
#HR2749 needs to clearly
disassociate from the
Green Leafy Marketing Guidelines.
I need to further research in my
own understanding how much
of the Green Leafy Guidelines
are part of #HR 2749.
They appear to be associated:
http://www.ftcldf.org/docs/hr2749-CROP%20REGULATION.htm
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]
Leslie
9:47 AM
July 19, 09
SLOW DOWN FOOD SAFETY BILL #HR2749
Commercial industrial farming
and the advances of science into agriculture
leading to new fragmented systems of food growing
are a by product of errors in judgement as well as practice. When food becomes an extreme commodity,
and the grower and processor lose the beat with
the inherent integrity of what they are doing,
the farming system becomes contaminated.
It it the system itself that is contaminated now.
Deaths from peanut butter, or injuries from spinach
are symptoms of an underlying disease condition--
we have strayed from the basic understanding
that food growing and Cultural advancement go
hand in hand and the Farmer and Gardener
hear the "beet."
Who wants to stand out against Food Safety? That answer is simple. No one in their intelligent mind is against Food Safety. There are too many lives at stake. Both the lives of eaters and a system of growing food that is older than time, and more inherently Intelligent than science as we now know it. We must take time. We haven't a moment to loose. We do not want a train wreak. --Leslie Goldman Your Enchanted Gardener
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.
# HR 2749 needs to be defeated
in its present form.
I recommend taking more time to
work out the bugs. Every one
is in favor of Food Safety.
This bill has some good points,
but needs work. There are some
amendments that need to be considered
to meet the needs of all concerned.
--Leslie
111th U.S. Congress - House Bill
FSEA #HR 2749 (Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009)
http://www.ftcldf.org/petitions/pnum993.php
MORE ACTIONS to TAKE NOW!
What to do next!
See the bottom of this
PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOG.
A LOVE LETTER TO EVERY
JOE THE FARMER
A LOVE LETTER TO EVERY
JOE THE FARMER
A POETIC STATEMENT
written by LESLIE GOLDMAN
YOUR ENCHANTED GARDENER.
Please circulate, and TAKE ACTION
on HEALTHY FOOD SAFETY NOW.
As of July 18, 09 the current bill
needs work. It is not ready for a
"YES" Vote.
Please educate yourself now.
This Blog will help.
Thank you,
Leslie
Action Plan as of
12:21 PM
Saturday, July 18, 09
Food Safety Enhancement Act draws ire
Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Friday, July 17, 2009
Committee Chairman Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., called attention to audience members whose relatives died from eating tainted food, including Jeff Almer of Perham, Minn., who lost his mother to contaminated peanut butter.
But Peterson vowed that changes to the Waxman bill must be made.
The top committee Republican, Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, said the bill assumes the FDA "has the resources and expertise to implement and enforce regulations on the more than 2.2 million farms in this country. ... It will direct the FDA to adapt a food-processing regulatory model to agricultural production practices."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/17/MNB618Q3UU.DTL#ix...
Carolyn Lochhead is an outstanding journalist
and researcher working for the SF ChRONICLE.
I highly commend her
for her work this week in covering
#usbll #HR2749.--Leslie Goldman
Your Enchanted Gardener
Posted here
July 18, 09
11:51 AM
COLLIN C. PETERSON,
Chairman, handled this in
a responsible manner.
I want to commend him.
I am calling him on the phone
and leaving a message.
http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact.html
OUTSTANDING REFERENCE
This needs to get to
PRESIDENT OBAMA's WORKING
GROUP on FOOD SAFETY.
Hopefully they wil see this
and start to refine the #usbill #HR2749
REF:
http://www.agandfoodlaw.com/
4:17 PM
July 17 ,09
PRESS RELEASE, JULY 17
"None of the producer witnesses at the hearing today would support the Food Safety Enhancement Act as it is written," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-6). "It is clear that members of the committee and our witnesses are concerned about the new authority the bill gives FDA to regulate on the farm production practices. The notion that FDA can dictate to farmers in every region of the country, growing and producing a vast array of crops and livestock for a range of markets, is irrational. I will continue to work with my colleagues to improve this food safety legislation."
http://agriculture.house.gov/list/press/agriculture_dem/07162009foodsafety.html
FULL DOCUMENT:
News from the House Agriculture Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Agriculture Collin C. Peterson, Minnesota
Chairman
http://agriculture.house.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2009 Media Contact:
April Demert Slayton (202) 225-6872
april.slayton@mail.house.gov
House Agriculture Committee Continues Food Safety Discussion
WASHINGTON - Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review current issues in food safety. This is the fourth hearing on food safety held by the House Agriculture Committee and its Subcommittees this year.
Witnesses at today’s hearing included farmers, ranchers, consumer group representatives, and government officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition to the witnesses testifying, Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson recognized Jeff Almer from Perham, Minn. to speak about his mother who was a victim of the Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter in 2008.
“Ensuring a safe food supply is a top priority for the House Agriculture Committee, and we want to play a role in developing strong food safety policies that are practical and address the problems in the system,” Chairman Peterson said.
"None of the producer witnesses at the hearing today would support the Food Safety Enhancement Act as it is written," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-6). "It is clear that members of the committee and our witnesses are concerned about the new authority the bill gives FDA to regulate on the farm production practices. The notion that FDA can dictate to farmers in every region of the country, growing and producing a vast array of crops and livestock for a range of markets, is irrational. I will continue to work with my colleagues to improve this food safety legislation."
Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html.
A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.
WITNESS LIST FOR JULY 16
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE HEARING
Panel I
• Mr. Larry Wooten, President, North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, on behalf of American Farm Bureau Federation, Raleigh, North Carolina
MR LARRY WOOTEN SPEAKS at the
July 16, 09 hearing before the Agriculture Committee
Despite substantial and significant progress from the legislation’s original discussion draft,
unresolved issues that could increase cost and paperwork burdens on farmers and ranchers remain.
As amended and approved by the full committee on June 17, H.R. 2749 would significantly expand
authorities for FDA to regulate and oversee on-farm production activities. Farms are explicitly
included in extensive new recordkeeping, reporting and traceability measures which may not be
feasible or practical for many producers.
Furthermore, H.R. 2749 paints the entire food supply system with a very broad brush. As you
know, each segment of the food and agriculture spectrum is unique.
The bill would for the first time permit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight of many on-farm production activities with which it has little to no experience and which have not traditionally been under its jurisdiction on a routine basis. Many of these authorities are duplicative
and overlapping with the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Congressional Agriculture Committees.
Not only are the authorities redundant with existing USDA authority, but FDA does not have the personnel, funding, knowledge, expertise or time to regulate agricultural production practices –
particularly given its overall volume of increased responsibilities contemplated in H.R 2749.
• Mr. J. Patrick Boyle, President, American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C.
• Ms. Carol Tucker-Foreman, Distinguished Fellow, The Food Policy Institute, Consumer Federation of America, Washington, D.C.
• Sam Ives, DVM, Ph.D., Director of Veterinary Services and Associate Director of Research, Cactus Feeders, Ltd., on behalf of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Amarillo, Texas
• Mr. Kent Peppler, President, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, on behalf of National Farmers Union, Mead, Colorado
• Mr. Bob Reinhard, Director of Food Safety for Sara Lee, and Chairman, Technical and Regulatory Committee, of the National Turkey Federation, Downers Grove, Illinois
• Mr. Nicholas Maravell, Owner and Operator, Nick’s Organic Farm, LLC, Potomac, Maryland
• Mr. Drew McDonald, Vice President National Quality Systems, Taylor Farms, Inc.
Panel II
• Mr. Jerold Mande, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
• Ms. Cindy Smith, Acting Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
• Mr. Mike Taylor, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland
###
"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."
QUOTE FROM
NICK MARIVELL
of NICK’s ORGANIC FARM
Maryland
at the AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE
JULY 16, 2009
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1457724
"The opportunity for Congress to pass significant food safety legislation rarely comes
along. It is NTF’s position that with an opportunity like what is presented; legislation shouldgive USDA and FDA additional tools to collaborate with industry, consumers, academia and all other stake holders to prevent food safety problems from occurring in the first place. Before adding new regulations, we strongly encourage this Committee and all Members of Congress consider whether legislation provides measurable public health outcomes."
Mr. Bob Reinhard, Director of Food Safety for Sara Lee, and Chairman, Technical and Regulatory Committee, of the National Turkey Federation, Downers Grove, Illinois
http://agriculture.house.gov/testimony/111/h071609/Reinhard.pdf
9:54 PM
July 15, 09
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net/FoodSafetyAction.htm
ACTION ALERT!
It's Time to Ask Tough Questions About
Pending Food Safety Legislation
July 13, 2009
PLEASE CALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 15!
There is no question: our food system needs to be safer. But Congress is currently debating food safety legislation (Food Safety Enhancement Act - H.R. 2749) that could compromise small and mid-sized family farmers. If approved, certain provisions could hinder beginning, sustainable, and organic farmers' access to markets, require expensive fees, and lead to the dismantling of important conservation practices and wildlife habitat.
Small and mid-sized farmers, especially those that practice sustainable and organic methods, should not disproportionately bear the burden and expense of new food safety laws. Likewise, consumers' access to wholesome, fresh, sustainably-produced foods should not be diminished by any new legislation.
Solutions to the food safety dilemma must be rooted in good science, and support family farmers, consumers, and sustainable and organic agriculture. We need to ask tough questions that address some of the problems in pending food safety legislation.
On Thursday, July 16, the House Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing to ask representatives from agribusiness, large farm organizations, and the food industry about deficiencies and concerns with the pending food safety legislation, HR 2749.
Currently no representatives from the sustainable and organic agriculture community are scheduled to testify at this hearing, but this is still an important opportunity for our concerns to be raised.
MESSAGE:
It's easy to call. If your Congressperson is on the House Agriculture Committee (see list below), please call their office and ask to speak with the aide that works on agriculture (or send them a fax). Urge the Member to raise the following questions with the food safety hearing panelists on July 16:
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?
Background
On June 17, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved a manager's amendment to the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. While the bill did incorporate some changes proposed by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and National Organic Coalition, HR 2749 retains a flat $500 registration fee per facility, thus failing to incorporate a scaled fee system. This means that a small processor (even on-farm if selling mostly wholesale) would pay the same annual fee as a facility run by Tyson, ADM, or any other large food manufacturer. In addition, the bill does not specify the positive role that conservation practices can play to address food safety concerns, and also fails to provide guidance so that new food safety standards are harmonized with those specified in the Organic Foods Production Act.
The bill has not yet been scheduled to go to the floor of the House, but it is expected to do so sometime the week of July 20 or 27.
AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE
They meet July 16, 09
ALABAMA -- Bobby Bright (AL-2) 202-225-2901 202-225-8913
Mike Rogers (AL-3) 202-225-3261 202-226-8485
CALIFORNIA -- Joe Baca (CA-43) 202-225-6161 202-225-8671
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) 202-225-6131 202-225-0819
Jim Costa (CA-20) 202-225-3341 202-225-9308
COLORADO -- Betsy Markey (CO-4) 202-225-4676 202-225-5870
GEORGIA -- David Scott (GA-13) 202-225-2939 202-225-4628
Jim Marshall (GA-8) 202-225-6531 202-225-3013
IDAHO -- Walt Minnick (ID-1) 202-225-6611 202-225-3029
ILLINOIS -- Deborah Halvorson (IL-11) 202-225-3635 202-225-3521
Timothy Johnson (IL-15) 202-225-2371 202-226-0791
INDIANA -- Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) 202-225-4636 202-225-3284
IOWA -- Leonard Boswell (IA-3) 202-225-3806 202-225-5608
Steve King (IA-5) 202-225-4426 202-225-3193
KANSAS -- Jerry Moran (KS-1) 202-225-2715 202-225-5124
LOUISIANA -- Bill Cassidy (LA-6) 202-225-3901 202-225-7313
MARYLAND -- Frank Kratovil, Jr. (MD-1) 202-225-5311 202-225-0254
MICHIGAN -- Mark Schauer (MI-7) 202-225-6276 202-225-6281
MINNESOTA -- Tim Walz (MN-1) 202-225-2472 202-225-3433
MISSISSIPPI -- Travis Childers (MS-1) 202-225-4306 202-225-3549
MISSOURI -- Sam Graves (MO-6) 202-225-7041 202-225-8221
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) 202-225-2956 202-225-5712
Adrian Smith (NE-3) 202-225-6435 202-225-0207
NEWYORK -- Eric Massa (NY-29) 202-225-3161 202-226-6599
NORTH CAROLINA -- Mike McIntyre (NC-7) 202-225-2731 202-225-5773
Larry Kissell (NC-8) 202-225-3715 202-225-4036
NORTH DAKOTA -- Earl Pomeroy (ND-at large) 202-225-2611 202-226-0893
OHIO -- John Boccieri (OH-16) 202-225-3876 202-225-3059
Jean Schmidt (OH-2) 202-225-3164 202-225-1992
Robert Latta (OH-5) 202-225-6405 202-225-1985
OKLAHOMA -- Frank Lucas
(OK-3), Ranking Member
202-225-5565 202-225-8698
PENNSYLVANIA --Tim Holden (PA-17) 202-225-5546 202-226-0996
Kathleen Dahlkemper (PA-3) 202-225-5406 202-225-3103
Glenn Thompson (PA-5) 202-225-5121 202-225-5796
SOUTH DAKOTA -- Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
(SD-at large)
202-225-2801 202-225-5823
TENNESSEE -- Phil Roe (TN-1) 202-225-6356 202-225-5714
TEXAS -- Henry Cuellar (TX-28) 202-225-1640 202-225-1641
Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) 202-225-4005 202-225-9615
K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) 202-225-3605 202-225-1783
VIRGINIA -- Bob Goodlatte (VA-6) 202-225-5431 202-225-9681
WISCONSIN -- Steve Kagen (WI-8) 202-225-5665 202-225-5729
WYOMING -- Cynthia Lummis (WY-at large) 202-225-2311 202-225-3057
ormation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liana Hoodes
National Organic Action Plan
National Organic Coalition
3540 Route 52
Pine Bush, NY 12566
Phone and Fax: 845-744-2304
http://www.NationalOrganicCoalition.org
TAKE ACTION
sez KEEP The BEET MEDIA
STAR
The World's FIrst Talking Beet Plant
ACTION PAGE:
Ask Congress to Defeat HR 2749
9,269 Submissions so far
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.
http://www.ftcldf.org/petitions/pnum993.php
You can send messages to Congress through the FTCLDF petition
here.
OTHER PETITIONS
Tell Congress ‘One size does not fit all’ when it comes to regulating food safety! We the Undersigned urge you to support amendments to Federal Food Safety legislation that draw a clear line between small local processors and direct market growers selling locally and the long, industrial, multi-sourced food supply chains where foodborne pathogens have appeared and created problems. FDA oversight is overreaching and unnecessary for small processors selling into local markets and direct market producers.
MARGIE MACDONALD OF THE
WESTERN ORGANIZATION OF RESOURCE COUNCILS
told me July 17, 09 that she felt an amendment
was further needed that was good for the
small farmers. You will find their main
flyer on #HR2749 here:
http://curezone.com/upload/Blogs/Your_Enchanted_Gardener/Food_Safety_Act2.pdf
OTHER THINGS TO DO
TWEETER CONGRESS
http://tweetcongress.org/
Establish a working relationship with your
Congress person and Senator!
Send thanks to those in support of amendments to
#HR2749.
Contact info for Legislators are located
on the Tweeter Congress site.
There are a number of Legislators
who are open to hearing local farm points of view.
I will detail them on future blogs.
GIVE INPUT TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA's FOOD SAFETY WORKNG GROUP
THESE ARE THE AMENDMENTS TO #HR2749
from RUSSELL LIBBY OF THE MOFGA
Russell has been has been working for this Amendment:
Sustainable and Organic Farming Proposed Revisions to Pallone Amendment of ‘Food Safety Enhancement Act’ – 6/11/09
These amendments need to be discussed and included
in #HR2749
OTHER PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOGS
on this TOPIC will help you understand the issues.
OPENING TESIMONIES from the Hearing
July 16 of the AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
12;42 PM
July 18, 09
Collin C. Peterson, head of the Ag Committee, only accepts
emails for those who live in his area.
I will call back on Monday. The box is full.
I wrote this to REB SUSAN DAVIS,
my representative in the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thank you for contacting my office. Please PRINT this page for your records.
Your comments were recorded as:
Comments: Dear Susan, Thanks for continuing to represent us so well. I have attended your Town Meetings here in San DIego. Please convey my appreciation to Collin C Peterson of the Ag Committee for his responsible actions re: #usbill #Hr2749. We need a bill, but this bill needs a lot more work. I cannot support it in its current form. Please keep up with the issue of Food Safety. Please support the local family and organic farmers in their needs, dear Susan. I vote for you because I trust you. Leslie
http://uspolitics.einnews.com/news/susan-davis
Please support and learn about
local, organic farmers in your neighborhood.
They are growing the last remaining
therapeutic quality food we have.
Family farmers are the backbone of
American Agriculture.
The small family farmers eat the food
they grow. Those that work the farmers' Markets
see the eyes and smiles of those they grow food
for each week. Their food is healthy.
Local organic farmers represent the future
of a healthy Food Safety. The are the cornerstone
of Earth-Based Homeland Security.
--Leslie
July 18, 09
12:59 PM
OTHER PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOGS
TO READ ON HEALTHY FOOD SAFETY
NATIONAL FOOD EMERGENCY:
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1454239
PROS and CONS on #USbill #HR 2749
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1455917
FDA ON THE FARM
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1458187
uploaded July 18, 09
FDA ON THE FARM
CAROLYN LOCHHEAH Articles
this week:
http://overlawyered.com/2009/07/tearing-up-the-farm-in-safetys-name/
Tearing up the farm, in safety’s name
by WALTER OLSON on JULY 17, 2009
Eye-opening account by Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle of some of the collateral damage in the farm-safety panic. For fear of bacterial contamination, farmers are now increasingly obliged to act rigorously against any sign of wildlife, whether frogs, squirrels, birds or mice:
…ponds are being poisoned and bulldozed. Vegetation harboring pollinators and filtering storm runoff is being cleared. Fences and poison baits line wildlife corridors.
Even organic techniques of surrounding crops with hedges of pest-resistant vegetation are being foiled by buyers’ demands that an entirely sterile ring be installed instead.
Auditors have told [farmer Ken] Kimes that no children younger than 5 can be allowed on his farm for fear of diapers. He has been asked to issue identification badges to all visitors.
Full article here.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/07/13/MN0218DVJ8.DTL
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