Fwd: FW: ACTION ALERT: A Tempest in a Teapot! Food Safety Reform and Protecting Organic Farmers

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---------- Forwarded message ----------

 

 

 

** The Cornucopia Institute [cultivate]

*Sent:* Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:10 PM

*To:* jdlevin

*Subject:* ACTION ALERT: A Tempest in a Teapot! Food Safety Reform and

Protecting Organic Farmers

 

 

 

[image: Image removed by sender.]

 

*Action Alert*

 

*Critical Pending Food Safety Legislation:*

 

*Supporting Viable Federal Oversight over Corporate Agribusiness**

**We Must Tell Congress to also Protect High Quality Organic and Local Food*

 

*1. HR 875: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009*

 

*2. HR 759: The Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009*

 

*3. HR 1332: Safe FEAST Act of 2009*

 

The blogosphere has sounded the alarm warning that Congress and agribusiness

and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation that will

force organic and local farms, and even home gardeners, out of business.

What are the threats and opportunities, and how should we gear up to

communicate with our congressional representatives?

 

*A Food Safety System That is Out Of Control*

There is no question that our increasingly *industrialized and concentrated

food production system needs a new regulatory focus.* Contamination of

spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts and other foods are an indictment

of a *food

safety system that is out of control and has become dominated by corporate

agribusiness* and powerful insider lobbyists. Regulators at the FDA, USDA

and other agencies have fallen short in their public safety

responsibilities.

 

The public outcry over this situation has finally led some in Congress to

propose remedies - and we should support strict oversight of the runaway

industrial farming and food production system that is responsible for

illnesses and deaths among our citizenry.

 

*Although stakeholders in the organic community need to be on-guard, the

flurry of e-mails and Internet postings suggesting that HR 875 will end

organic farming as we know it seem to grossly exaggerate the risks. Here's

what we know:*

 

Some level of reform is coming and we must work diligently to *make sure

that any changes do not harm or competitively disadvantage organic and local

family farm producers and processors* who are providing the fresh, wholesome

and authentic food for which consumers are increasingly hungry.

 

*Several bills aimed at fixing the broken food safety system have been

proposed.* Of these bills, the FDA Globalization Act (*HR

759<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/337/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%\

2Fwww.govtrack.us%2Fcongress%2Fbilltext.xpd%3Fbill%3Dh111-759>

*) appears most likely to be voted on, with the elements of the other bills,

including the Food Safety Modernization Act (*HR

875<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/339/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%\

2Fwww.govtrack.us%2Fcongress%2Fbilltext.xpd%3Fbill%3Dh111-875>

*) and the Safe FEAST Act (*HR

1332<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/341/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F\

%2Fwww.govtrack.us%2Fcongress%2Fbill.xpd%3Fbill%3Dh111-1332>

*) possibly incorporated into the bill. *A vote on a final bill shortly

before Memorial Day is likely.*

 

*All three bills would require new food safety rules for farms and food

processing businesses.* Therefore, as with most legislation, the real

battle will be in the *rule-making* processes that follows the passage of

the bill. We must stay engaged.

 

*A Tempest in a Teapot**

*Anyone with an interest in food safety issues has probably seen or received

emails charging that backyard gardens and organic farming would be outlawed

by new food safety laws. We have closely read the proposed legislation,

done extensive background research, and talked with the chief staff member

responsible for the drafting of HR 875. Some have argued that this is a

conspiracy promulgated by Monsanto and other corporate interests in

conventional agriculture. It is our conclusion that none of these bills

would " outlaw organic farming. " Other groups, such as Food and Water Watch

and the organic certification agent CCOF have reached similar conclusions.

But as we just noted, we need to be engaged in this process to protect

organic and family farmer interests.

 

Also, concerns have been raised that these new laws don't examine meat

safety concerns. The USDA is responsible for much of the nation's meat

safety regulations. It does not appear that Congress, at this time, is

prepared to address deficiencies involving meat.

 

*Dingell Bill Has Momentum in the House**

*HR 759, authored by John Dingell (D-MI), the House's most senior member, is

the bill that will be given priority by the House as they weight food safety

legislation. It proposes that all food processing faacilities register with

the FDA and pay annual fees, evaluate hazards and implement preventive

controls of these hazards, monitor these controls and keep extensive

records.

 

HR 759 would give authority to the FDA to establish " science-based " minimum

standards for the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables.

These food safety standards would address manure use, water quality,

employee hygiene, sanitation and animal control, temperature controls, and

nutrients on the farm.

 

*Such one-size-fits-all food safety rules, especially preventative measures,

created with industrial-scale farms and processors in mind, would likely put

smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage.

A similar voluntary set of regulations in California have damaged the

environment and hurt organic and fresh produce growers.*

 

*These high-quality, owner-operated, and often " local " farms are an

important part of the solution to our nation's food quality problems -- not

the cause -- and they must be protected!*

 

*Protecting the Nation's Farming Heroes*

It should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are

already highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other

requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk. Spinach, tomatoes,

peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These

fresh and nutritious foods pose a risk only after they are contaminated,

which is why new food safety legislation must address the underlying causes

of food safety hazards.

 

Whatever the final legislation looks like, it *must make clear* that it is

the *intent of Congress* to ensure the ensuing regulations will *not

disproportionately burden small-scale *

 

*family farm producers and farmstead businesses* that are the backbone of

the local, sustainable and organic food movement.

 

*Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!*

 

*We must tell Congress to protect high quality organic and local food

production*

 

*

*

 

*Please contact the following representatives* to urge them to support

legislation that will protect organic and small-scale family farmers while

strengthening food safety. For a sample letter you can personalize and edit

to send to your elected officials, *click

here<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/343/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F\

%2Fwww.cornucopia.org%2F2009%2F03%2Faction-alert-critical-pending-food-safety-le\

gislation%2F>

*.

 

1. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce --

send a message through the Committee website at:

http://energycommerce.house.gov/<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/345/3UUWfUT\

/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fenergycommerce.house.gov%2F>

2. John Dingell (D-MI), the sponsor of HR 759

3. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the sponsor of HR 875

4. Jim Costa (D-CA), the sponsor of HR 1332

 

ü *Please contact your own district’s representative, especially if he or

she is a cosponsor of one of the food safety bills (see below for a list of

cosponsors)** *

 

*Tell them other elements that must be included in new food safety

legislation include:*

 

*1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. *HR

759 proposes to regulate *only* fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting

minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying

causes of food safety hazards.

 

However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the *sources* of

potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or

ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.”

Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of

industrialized/centralized agriculture and food processing as serious health

threats.

 

*2.* *HR 759* *should establish categories for food (processing)

facilities*to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by

one-size-fits-all

registration fees.

 

3. The final bill should *also* determine categories for “food production

facilities” (farms) — *based on level of risk*. These categories should

differentiate between farms based on criteria *including size and organic

certification*. A certified small-scale organic farm, as an example,

selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or

through farmers markets or roadside stands should be regulated differently

from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national

market.

 

*4.* Also, some small-scale farmers, including members of the Amish

community, will find mandatory electronic record keeping requirements

onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to

scale.

 

*5.* At least one other separate piece of legislation, HR 814, would

require a *mandatory animal identification system (NAIS)*. Since the

majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing,

distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited utility in

requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each

individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to

animal health concerns, *not* human health). Since NAIS has caused a

maelstrom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate

this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety

legislation.

 

6. *Most importantly, the final bill needs to state clearly that food

safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow

and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act*.

Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They

already have a plan for their farm—an “organic system management plan.” The

bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans

should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.

 

*We urge you to contact Congressional leadership, and your own

representative and senators, to make sure that the highest quality farmers

in this country are not run over by juggernauts in Washington in their

attempt to address the filthy industrialized food system that has sickened

so many!** *

 

*To locate your representatives in Congress, and send them a message through

their website, : *

 

1.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/<http://app.streamsend.co\

m/c/3425252/347/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.congress.org%2Fcongres\

sorg%2Fofficials%2Fcongress%2F>

 

2. Or you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask

for your senators' and/or representative's office.

 

*Note: it is especially important for you to contact your Congressional

representative if they are a cosponsor of the proposed legislation. *For a

sample letter you can personalize and edit to send to your elected

officials, click

here<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/349/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F\

%2Fwww.cornucopia.org%2F2009%2F03%2Faction-alert-critical-pending-food-safety-le\

gislation%2F>.

 

 

*Cosponsors of HR 759 include: *

 

Representatives Donna Christensen (VI), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel

(NY), Frank Pallone (NJ), Gary Peters (MI), John Sarbanes (MD), Bart Stupak

(MI), Betty Sutton (OH)

 

*Cosponsors of HR 875 include: *

 

Representatives Shelley Berkley (NV), Sanford Bishop (GA), Timothy Bishop

(NY), Andre Carson (IN), Kathy Castor (FL), Joe Courtney (CT), Peter DeFazio

(OR), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Anna Eshoo (CA), Sam Farr (CA),

Bob Filner (CA), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), Rual Grijalva (AZ), John Hall

(NY), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Mazie Hirono (HI), Eddie Johnson (TX), Marcy

Kaptur (OH), Barbara Lee (CA), Nita Lowey (NY), Betty McCollum (MN), Jim

McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), Gwen Moor (WI), Christopher Murphy

(CT), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Chellie Pingree (ME),

C.A. Ruppersberger (MD), Tim Ryan (OH), Linda Sanchez (CA), Janice

Schakowsky (IL), Mark Schauer (MI), Louise Slaughter (NY), Pete Stark (CA),

Betty Sutton (OH), John Tierney (MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Robert

Wexler (FL).

 

*Cosponsors of HR 1332 include: *

 

Representatives John Adler (NJ), Joe Baca (CA), Joe Barton (TX), Leonard

Boswell (IA), Michael Burgess (TX), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Yvette Clarke (NY),

Henry Cuellar (TX), Lincoln Davis (TN), Nathan Deal (GA), Eliot Engel (NY),

Sam Farr (CA), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Steve Kagan (WI), Collin

Peterson (MN), Joseph Pitts (PA), Adam Putnam (FL), George Radanovich (CA),

Charles Rangel (NY), Thomas Rooney (FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), John

Salazar (CO), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Shimkus (IL), Lee

Terry (NE), Mike Thompson (CA), Greg Walden (OR).

 

The Cornucopia Institute P.O. Box 126 Cornucopia, WI

54827 608-625-2042 cultivate

www.cornucopia.org<http://app.streamsend.com/c/3425252/351/3UUWfUT/9pOA?redirect\

_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cornucopia.org>

 

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