Food Safety Bill BACK WITH A VENGEANCE

Small Farmer’s Journal has joined 151 other organizations in a letter to the US congress requesting that senators support amendments to this dangerous, pending bill. Please see a copy of that letter below.

Support Fresh, Safe Local Food in the Food Safety Bill

May 25, 2010

Dear Senator:

The 152 undersigned organizations represent consumers, farmers and ranchers, local food producers, and co-ops who have serious concerns over the pending food safety legislation, S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act. We urge you to support amendments so as to improve food safety without unnecessarily burdening and handicapping small-scale, local food producers.

All of the well-publicized incidents of contamination in recent years – whether in spinach, peppers, or peanuts – occurred in industrialized food supply chains that span national and even international boundaries. The food safety problems in this system can and should be addressed without harming the local food systems that provide an alternative for consumers.

The growing trend toward healthy, fresh, locally sourced vegetables, fruit, dairy, and value-added products improves food safety by providing the opportunity for consumers to know their farmers and processors, to choose products on the basis of that relationship, and to readily trace any problems should they occur. Farmers and processors who sell directly to consumers and end users have a direct relationship with their customers that ensures quality, safety, transparency and accountability. In addition, small-scale food producers are already regulated by local and state authorities, and the potential risk their products pose is inherently limited by their size. For these farmers and processors, new federal requirements are unnecessary and would simply harm both the food producers and their consumers.

Although the Committee-passed bill includes some provisions for flexibility for small and diversified producers, S. 510 still would establish new hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls for all facilities and authorize FDA to dictate growing and harvesting practices for produce. These requirements will impose significant expenses and burdens on individuals and small businesses.

Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls

We therefore urge you to support the Tester-Hagan amendment to exempt small processing facilities from the bill’s hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls requirements and traceability requirements.

1)

With respect to the hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls, add the following new section to Section 103:

(l) DEFERRAL TO STATE REGULATION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES.—This section shall not apply to a facility for a year if the average annual adjusted gross income of such facility for the previous 3-year period is less than $500,000.

2)

With respect to traceability, add the following new section to Section 204:

2

(C) LIMITATION FOR CERTAIN FACILITIES.—In the case of a facility, in a year in which the average annual adjusted gross income of such facility for the previous 3-year period is less than $500,000, the recordkeeping requirements under this section shall be limited to records regarding the immediate suppliers and immediate subsequent recipients of such facility.

FDA Produce Standards

We also urge you to support the Tester-Hagan amendment to exempt direct-marketing farms from the FDA produce standards. With respect to the produce standards, we request that you add the following new section to Section 105:

(g) EXEMPTION FOR DIRECT FARM MARKETING – This section shall not apply to farm if, with respect to such farm, the annual value of sales of food directly to consumers, hotels, restaurants, or institutions exceeds the annual value of sales of food to all other buyers.

Food safety is a priority for us all. We share the concerns that have led to this bill and appreciate Congress’s commitment to addressing these problems. Thank you for your consideration, and for your support of a safer, more sustainable food system and consumer access to healthy, local foods.

For more information, contact Sara Kendall at 202-547-7040 or sara@worc.org, or Judith McGeary at 512-243-9404 or Judith@FarmAndRanchFreedom.org.

Sincerely,

National and Multi-State Organizations

Acres USA

Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy

Adopt a Family Farm of America

Freedom 21

Alliance for Natural Health – USA

Institute for Local Self Reliance

American Goat Society

Local Harvest

American Grassfed Association

National Family Farm Coalition

American Policy Center

National Health Freedom Action

Appalachian Sustainable Development

National Hmong American Farmers

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

Natural Environmental Ecological Management

Center for Food Safety

Organic Consumers Association

Citizens for Health

Organization for Competitive Markets

Community Food Security Coalition

Paragon Foundation

Constitutional Alliance

R-CALF USA

The Cornucopia Institute

Real Food Campaign

Family Farm Defenders

Small Farmer’s Journal

Farm Aid

Small Farms Conservancy

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

Western Organization of Resource Councils

Food Democracy Now!

Weston A Price Foundation

3

State and Local Organizations

Arkansas Animal Producers Association

Montana Organic Association

Big Horn Basin Farmers Market Association

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society

Black Mountain Tailgate Market (NC)

New Hampshire Farm Bureau

Bountiful Cities Project (NC)

New Hampshire Herbal Network

Bozeman Winter Farmers Market (MT)

North Missoula Community Development Corp. (MT)

Community Farm Alliance (KY)

Northern Plains Resource Council

Corvallis-Albany Farmer’s Markets (OR)

Northwest Farmer to Farmer Exchange (OR)

Dakota Rural Action

Oregon Rural Action

Dakota Resource Council

Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust

Edible Austin (TX)

Ozarks Property Rights Congress (MO)

Edible Missoula (MT)

Portland Farmer’s Market

Edible San Marcos (TX)

Powder River Basin Resource Council (WY)

Empire State Family Farm Alliance (NY)

Presentation Peace & Justice Center (CA)

Farmshed of Waupaca (WI)

Presentation Peace & Justice Center (ND)

Food for Maine’s Future

Raw Milk Association of Colorado

Food System Economic Partnership (MI)

Red Lodge Farmers Market (MT)

Georgia Organics

Rural Vermont

Grand Forks County Citizens Coalition (ND)

Salmon Valley Stewardship (ID)

Hailey and Ketchum Farmers Markets (ID)

The Second Chance Foundation (NY)

Idaho Rural Council

Slow Food – Austin (TX)

Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming

South Agassiz Resource Council (ND)

Innovative Farmers of Ohio

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement

Sustainable Food Center (TX)

Lane County Food Policy Council (OR)

Sustainable Living Systems (MT)

Madison Farm to Fork (MT)

Texans for Accountable Government

Maine Alternative Agriculture Association

Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation

Tuscaloosa Property Rights Alliance (AL)

Massachusetts SmallHolders Alliance

Two Coves Community Garden (NY)

Michigan Land Trustees

Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Assoc.

Michigan Land Use Institute

Western Colorado Congress

Missouri Rural Crisis Center

Western Wake Farmers’ Market (NC)

Monroe/ LaCrosse County Farmers Union (WI)

Western Washington University’s Outback

Experiential Learning Program

Montana Cattlemen’s Association

Willamette Farm and Food Coalition (OR)

Montana Farmers Union

Winter Green (NC)

Co-Ops

Abundance Cooperative Market (NY)

Kimberton Whole Foods (PA)

Basics Cooperative (WI)

Marquette Food Co-op (MI)

Buffalo Mountain Food Cooperative (VT)

Moscow Food Co-op (ID)

Chatham Marketplace (NC)

Neighborhood Co-op Grocery (IL)

City Center Market (MN)

Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-Op (CA)

City Market/ Onion River Co-op (VT)

Ozark Natural Foods (AR)

Common Ground Food Co-op (IL)

People’s Food Co-op of Kalamazoo (MI)

Company Shops Market (NC)

PCC Natural Markets (WA)

4

Concord Cooperative Market (NH)

Queens Harvest Co-Op (NY)

Davis Food Co-op (CA)

Rising Tide Community Market (ME)

Deep Roots Market (NC)

Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative (CA)

Ever’man Natural Foods Co-op, Inc (FL)

Seward Cooperative Grocery and Deli (MN)

Foothills Family Farms Co-op (NC)

Spiral Natural Foods Coop (MN)

Fort Collins Food Co-op (CO)

Swarthmore Co-Op (PA)

French Broad Food Co-Op (NC)

Trillium Natural Foods Community Co-op (WI)

Good Earth Market (MT)

Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op (CA)

Good Food Co-op (MN)

Uncle Mindee’s Food

Good Harvest Market (WI)

Upper Valley Food Co-Op (VT)

GreenTree Cooperative Grocery (MI)

Valley Food Co-op (CO)

Hendersonville Community Co-op (NC)

Whole Foods Co-op (MN)

Hungry Hollow Co-op (NY)

Whole Foods Cooperative (PA)

Idaho’s Bounty Co-Op (ID)

Wild Oats Market (MA)

Island City Food Co-op (WI)

Willmantic Food Co-op (CT)

Just Food Co-op (MN)

Ypsilanti Food Coop (MI)

Kearsarge Cooperative Grocer (NH)

Tags: , , , ,