its about to end, go to your congressman website and write them, where im from its John Tierny You can write him here, https://forms.house.gov/tierney/webform/issue_subscribe.htm. I wrote a letter expressing my disapproval. Just copy and paste it, takes just a second. heres what I wrote, I am opposed to HR 875, also known as the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009. HR 875 as it is written today, could very well mean the end of the vibrant and growing local foods movement. Yes - if it passes - it could herald the death of farmers markets, most CSAs, farmstands and even small family-run farms altogether. HR 875 fails miserably in promoting food safety. Rather, than promoting true accountability and proper farming techniques that minimize the risk of introducing pathogens into the food supply, it simply will create greater barriers for our already struggling small farms and farmers markets. HR 875 mandates that anyone who produces food of any kind - meat, milk, fruit, vegetables et cetera - and transports that food for sale be subject to warrantless government inspections of their farms and food production records. These random inspections can be conducted at the whim of federal agents without regard to farmers rights or property rights. Further, the law would allow federal agents to confiscate records, product as they see fit as part of the inspection process. Agents could also implement draconian restrictions regarding how farm animals can be fed, how fields can be managed and the end result of these restrictions could mean the end of organic, bio dynamic and sustainable agriculture practices if these practices are deemed “unsafe.” Farmers refusing to comply would be subject to penalties. The penalty for denying federal agents unlimited, random access to a farm’s fields, properties, products and records is $1,000,000. The penalty for not registering is $1,000,000.
bullshit. bullshit bullshit bullshit. i have never once gotten sick from eating organic, locally grown, pesticide free food. i get more sick from eating the "food" from wal-mart. outlaw walmart you bastards. this is just the government trying to dip their dirty fingers in the small revenue generated by the local farmer. They WANT us to buy from giant corporations because they pay the most taxes. Soon enough, we wont even be able to eat the food we grow without having to pay some kind of fucking tax. It will be like the alcohol industry, where you have to sell your food to the state and buy it back at a markup.
In California all food and nursery stock is open to inspection prior to sale and has been for years. It's usually performed randomly because of a shortage of personnel. I know when I was studying horticulture in the 80s before our college could hold a sale we had to undergo an inspection. Same thing went for the school farm which was selling organic meat and produce. Didn't shut down the organic program. What it did was enforce hygene standards for production and processing. Our local farmers markets are certified and those taking part have to abide by the state regulations: I don't see these regulations changing much around here.[/FONT]
Topher D. Big corporations dont pay the most taxes... not by a long shot. They just owe their jobs to those big corporations.
But shouldn't you ask if it is even needed? Farmers, farm markets and those that consume from them do just fine all over the country without being inspected and certified. If there is no harm coming from this area then why do this? It is only a waste of time and money on the farmer's part and a waste of money on the taxpayers part. But this has little to do with the mentioned bill. HR 875 doesn't lay out standards to my knowledge. It grabs everyone that produces food, big and small, and puts them under control of one appointed person and that person gets to tell everyone how to raise their food. And if that person happens to have ties to a company like say Monsanto, do you think that person is going to be friendly to farming techniques that are not in line with the company? It is already hard enough trying to get the government to approve other aspects of food and health in already established programs, such as the FDA and farm programs. We don't need another department we need to beg to to allow us to have sustainable, healthy food.
A lot of California's economy is based on agriculture and these rules protect the safety of the consumer and the agricultural sector by restricting the flow of contaminated plants and seeds, the influx of pests from outside the area. Prior to the installation of these laws, immigrant workers eliminated in the growing areas food was contaminated, untrained workers applied chemicals, now farms have to make arrangements for their labor's hygene and safety. They have to provide for the safe use of pesticides and proper disposal of chemicals and containers. They have to apply any chemicals in a manner which does not endanger the environment. I don't see that as a waste of money.
