I am so mad

Food Modernization Safety Act

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.875

another on  is named S.429.IS    there are 16 more  on the site search type in "food safety"

The Federal Times reported on February 23, HR875, a bill that would give unbelievable powers to regulate food. It was authored by Rep. Rosa Delauro, and was introduced shrouded in hype, namely te worries of the recent outbreak of salmonella on peanuts. Additionally, the hysterics from the salmonella outbreak last year in imported peppers, and the 2006 issue with E.coli in the fresh spinach. This food bill, in particular, will require farmers and food producers to register every 2 years with the government. It removes food safety duties from the FDA to a new agency within Homeland Security (HHS), which has been an admitted nightmare. The Obama administration is shoving the new agricultural controls through Congress as quickly as possible and have coordinated the bills so there will be no debate and all committee meetings are closed.

One of the big concerns regarding these pending laws is organic, small family farms and ranches are in danger. As of right now, unless changes to the language of the bills are made, all natural products, including organic and dietary supplements are not exempt. A person must read the entire bills very carefully, paying close attention to  the legal definitions set forth within them, because without doing so, the full meaning will be missed. It is under suspicion that these bills' authors' were influenced by the giants Cargill, Tyson, Monsanto and the like. With all the legal restrictions, guidelines, regulations, and potential fines, small farmers, roadside stands, and farmer's markets would be strangled out of existence, all under the guise of protecting the public from outbreaks. I don't know about you, but I enjoy supporting my local economy and families by buying there produce from people I know and trust; food that was picked at its prime locally, giving me optimal nutrition instead of being shipped a few thousand miles by some huge corporation way before ripe. I, for one, have never gotten sick from locally grown purchased food, nor have I ever heard of it happening. Every instance has been from the same huge multi-billion dollar corporations growing the food on their factory farms here and across borders. Another big concern with these bills is that unless the wording is changed, a person will not be able to legally grow their own gardens, just for their own consuption. This makes me hopping mad! I do enjoy gardening, canning my own food, and take pride the food I grow is better that what is available at the store--all right out my back door. I enjoy watching the plants grow, mature and then picking my supper. Even if I didn't, I would still like the right and freedom to do so if I changed my mind. I like choices--that is freedom, and why do these legislators want to take that away? Especially in this economy, with so many planning on depending a great deal now on a garden, this is wrong. This area, like so many areas of the country, has been hit really hard. The mobile home and RV production companies were a major industry in the area, and have pretty much all shut down. These same companies were some that manufactured a large portion of the FEMA trailers for the Hurricane Katrina victims. The food banks locally are so tapped out, if a person goes to one, will find the shelves many times empty. On talking to the local food bank administrator, she said that she can't recall a time when so many families needed help (not even in the '80's). I personally  am ok with food for my family, but wonder what so many others will do? Why is our government wanting to do this, pass laws like this, in this economy? And why all the secrecy?