If you grow herbs and vegetables in your backyard, how would you like a federal bureaucrat to visit your home to inspect your garden? And how would you like that bureaucrat to shut your garden down because you violate food safety laws? Seems like some Orwellian picture straight from the book 1984, does not it?
Well, it could be the U.S. in 2009.
A catastrophe is looming that is sure to destroy what is left of natural farming, and likely, your health. Monsanto, one of the worst corporate giants on the planet, has managed to get a law proposed in Congress that could seriously alter the food supply. The bill, HR 875, now carries the nickname food safety law. But, of course, what Congress and the media tell you about the intent of a law is exactly the opposite of what it will do.
Instead of protecting our food and ensuring its safety, this law will actually wipe out small farms — including most organic farms.
This law comes as a knee-jerk reaction to some of the food scandals we have had in recent years (such as the salmonella peanut butter poisoning). The government is using those scandals to propose new draconian laws.
This new bill broadly defines a food production facility (FPF) as any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard.
So if this measure passes, all FPFs will be subject to Federal rules and regulations regarding the growing of food. It will require record keeping and mandate turning over those records to the government upon demand. And federal inspectors can show up on your doorstep any time they want and demand your records. Heres a sampling of what this bill will require from FPFs:
(1) consider all relevant hazards, including those occurring naturally, and those that may be unintentionally or intentionally introduced;
(2) have a written food safety plan that describes the likely hazards and preventive controls implemented to address those hazards;
(3) include, with respect to growing, harvesting, sorting, and storage operations, minimum standards related to fertilizer use, nutrients, hygiene, packaging, temperature controls, animal encroachment, and water;
(4) include, with respect to animals raised for food, minimum standards related to the animals health, feed, and environment which bear on the safety of food for human consumption;
So, if you are growing an herb garden for your salad, or have a sheep or cow for any purpose, or have a horse ranch, this law will place you under the hands of rules and regulations you do not have a clue exist. You will be in a situation just like medical doctors who face over 100,000 pages of draconian regulations they do not know exist, and can be incarcerated for violations of the same.
This is serious business. It is designed by the Agribusiness giants to wipe out the small farmer, the organic farmer, and all of their competition. It is urgent that you immediately take action to stop this. Please call your elected officials, especially in the House of Representatives, and tell them to permanently destroy this bill.
For me, I would rather have a few cases of salmonella poisoning out there, than a food supply at the mercy of Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland, and the Federal government inspecting my lettuce crop.