OFF TOPIC: FW: ACTION ALERT: Act by Nov. 17 on Senate Food Safety Legislation

[Guest guest]

FYI.

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ACTION ALERT: Act by Nov. 17 on Senate Food Safety Legislation

Call your Senators MONDAY or TUESDAY- Urge their support for the Testter

Amendment

The Cornucopia Institute

It now appears that the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) will be voted

on in the Senate during the " lame-duck " session as early as Wednesday, Nov.

17.

This bill, as we have noted before, would impose extremely burdensome and

unnecessary requirements on the thousands of small farmers and food

processors who are producing safe, nutrient-dense foods for their local

communities - in fact, it may force some of these producers out of business.

A key amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small

farmers who direct market more than 50% of their products.

These famers must have gross sales (direct and non-direct combined) of less

than $500,000, and sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are

in-state or within 400 miles. This amendment is especially important for

off-farm retail locations such as farmers markets and CSAs.

Please call your Senators today (most offices have voice mail where you can

leave a message) and ask them to support the Tester Amendment on the Food

Safety bill.

If you are a farmer this is important to protect your livelihood. If you are

a consumer, where will you buy your safe and nutritious food if your local

farmers are forced out of business?

It's easy to call. Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code in the box

in the upper right hand corner. Click on your Senator's name, and then on

the contact tab for their phone number. You can also call the Capitol

Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senator's office:

202-224-3121. Once connected ask to speak to the legislative staff person

responsible for agriculture. If they are unavailable leave a voice mail

message. Be sure to include your name and phone number.

The message is simple:

" I am a constituent of Senator___________. I ask that he/she support the

Tester Amendment to the food safety bill. The Tester Amendment will exempt

the safest, small, owner-operator farms and food facilities and farmers who

direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants. Food

safety legislation should not create inappropriate and costly regulatory

barriers to family farms and the growing healthy food movement in the drive

to crack down on corporate bad actors. Please support the Tester Amendment

and market opportunities for small and mid-sized family farms, and small

food processing facilities. "

Thank you for your help and support for those producing some of the nation's

safest and most nutritious food!

The Cornucopia Institute P.O. Box 126 Cornucopia, WI 54827 608-625-2042

cultivate@...