OUTLAW ORGANIC FARMING (bill HR 875)

I received this email from an organic farmer that was sent to their customers today:

US House and Senate are about to vote on a bill that will OUTLAW ORGANIC FARMING (bill HR 875).
There is an enormous rush to get this into law before people realize what is happening. Main backer and lobbyist is Monsanto – chemical and genetic engineering giant corporation (and Cargill, ADM, and
about 35 other related agri-giants). This bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by the newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply". This will include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales.
If this passes then NO more heirloom clean seeds will be available but only Monsanto genetically altered seeds that are now showing up with unexpected diseases in humans. The name on this outrageous food plan is:
Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (bill HR 875).

WHAT CAN YOU DO????

Get on that phone and burn up the wires. Get anyone else you can to do the same thing. The House and Senate WILL pass this if they are not massively threatened with loss of their position.... They only fear your voice and your vote. When you call their office someone will answer the phone, just tell them (politely) that you are calling to express your views on HR 875. Tell them your views, they'll take your name and address and pass your comments along to the congressperson. Here is contact info:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=CA http://www.house.gov/writerep


We appreciate your support of organic farming and local sustainable agriculture!

Karissa Lystrup
Heavenly Acre

It's not a crime to use organic methods no matter what Monsanto's lobbyists say.

...people see the name Monsanto and a ridiculous story and they are instantly ready to believe anything.


From http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-875
"To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes."

And a summary: (I don't see Monsanto listed in there at all)

2/4/2009--Introduced.
Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Food Safety Administration. Assigns all the authorities and responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services related to food safety to the Administrator of Food Safety.
Transfers to the Administration all functions of specified federal agencies that relate to the administration or enforcement of food safety laws. Renames the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the Federal Drug and Device Administration.
Directs the Administrator to: (1) administer a national food safety program; and (2) ensure that persons who produce, process, or distribute food prevent or minimize food safety hazards. Sets forth requirements for the Administrator to carry out such duties, including: (1) requiring food establishments to adopt preventive process controls; (2) enforcing performance standards for food safety; (3) establishing an inspection program; (4) strengthening and expanding foodborne illness surveillance systems; (5) requiring imported food to meet the same standards as U.S. food; and (6) establishing a national traceability system for food.
Requires the Administrator to: (1) identify priorities for food safety research and data collection; (2) maintain a DNA matching system and epidemiological system for foodborne illness identification, outbreaks, and containment; (3) establish guidelines for a sampling system; (4) establish a national public education program on food safety; (5) conduct research on food safety; and (6) establish a working group on foodborne illness surveillance.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop the Food-Borne Illness Health Registry.
Directs the Comptroller General to report on the federal resources being dedicated to foodborne illness and food safety research.
Sets forth provisions regarding prohibited acts, recalls, penalties for violations of food safety laws, whistleblower protections, and civil actions.

if I'm reading it correctly it would seem that major agribusiness would profit a LOT by the KILLING of this bill.

(1) administer a national food safety program; and (2) ensure that persons who produce, process, or distribute food prevent or minimize food safety hazards.

IOW, regulation - something they've been fighting for years.

(2) maintain a DNA matching system and epidemiological system for foodborne illness identification, outbreaks, and containment;

IOW, be able to figure out just who is at fault in an e-coli outbreak.

don't know about anybody else, but it makes ME think 'misinformation campaign'.

<http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/organic.asp>

Even with the pop-up blocker, I get pup-ups from the site.

2/4/2009--Introduced.

Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Food Safety Administration. Assigns all the authorities and responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services related to food safety to the Administrator of Food Safety.

Transfers to the Administration all functions of specified federal agencies that relate to the administration or enforcement of food safety laws. Renames the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the Federal Drug and Device Administration.

Directs the Administrator to: (1) administer a national food safety program; and (2) ensure that persons who produce, process, or distribute food prevent or minimize food safety hazards. Sets forth requirements for the Administrator to carry out such duties, including: (1) requiring food establishments to adopt preventive process controls; (2) enforcing performance standards for food safety; (3) establishing an inspection program; (4) strengthening and expanding foodborne illness surveillance systems; (5) requiring imported food to meet the same standards as U.S. food; and (6) establishing a national traceability system for food.

Requires the Administrator to: (1) identify priorities for food safety research and data collection; (2) maintain a DNA matching system and epidemiological system for foodborne illness identification, outbreaks, and containment; (3) establish guidelines for a sampling system; (4) establish a national public education program on food safety; (5) conduct research on food safety; and (6) establish a working group on foodborne illness surveillance.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop the Food-Borne Illness Health Registry.

Directs the Comptroller General to report on the federal resources being dedicated to foodborne illness and food safety research.

Sets forth provisions regarding prohibited acts, recalls, penalties for violations of food safety laws, whistleblower protections, and civil actions.

There was a previous news story suggesting that would be the plan, and I think it's a good one.

But, how can so many people be wrong about this bill?

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26714

..Well I just noticed that site links to another which is much more radical than "democracy in action" would lead one to believe. :silly:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875

damn

wanted this bill killed, how better than to spread rumors about the bill via the internet?

A few years back, the EPA was going to conduct a long range study comparing general health and school achievement of children from pesticide free homes and children from homes where pesticides are regularly used. If any child was found to have a higher blood level of pesticide than current "safe" limits, then that child would be dropped from the study and the family counseled to ease up on the pesticides.

As far as I know, this study was killed after the outcry over exposing kids to pesticides, even though their own families already were and presumably still are the source of that exposure. I've always thought the chemical industry killed this study because it might have shown long term ill effects from pesticide use.

It could be a neat & clean way to kill it without leaving evidence.

Read first, then post hysterically.

makes it clear that this is some sort of misinformation campaign, industry guided or not. Now the thing to think about, is that people are willing to believe that Monsanto et.al. can and will try to outlaw organic farming. This is a good thing (that we believe), because small and organic farms are under constant attack of one sort or another from chemical companies and agribusiness. Monsanto may not be up to something this time, but it sure pays to watch them closely.

Do you people just believe anything that sounds scary and has the word "Monsanto" in it?