Urgent Action Alert on S510 Food Safety Legislation

[Guest guest]

Although it has been delayed many times, the Food Safety

Modernization Act (S.510) continues to be a threat. This bill

greatly expands FDAs authority over both processed foods and fresh

fruits and vegetables, and would give FDA authority to impose

extensive, burdensome requirements on even the smallest processing

facilities and farms who sell to local consumers.

While the latest version of the bill included some provisions for

flexibility and scale-sensitivity, the provisions do not go far

enough to protect the small-scale local food businesses that could be

destroyed by the new federal regulations.

Take Action:

S.510 could be voted on in the next couple of weeks without much

notice. So the time to call your Senators is NOW!

You can find your Senators contact information at www.Senate.gov or

by calling the Capitol Switchboard at or toll-free at

. When you call your Senators offices, ask to speak to

the staffer who handles food safety issues, and tell them these two things:

1) Support the Tester-Hagan amendment to exempt small-scale, direct

marketing farms and facilities from some of the most burdensome

portions of the bill. This common-sense amendment is critical to

protecting local food sources.

2) Oppose criminal penalties for violations that do not endanger

human health or safety: Although it is unclear, there may also be an

amendment introduced to combine S.3767 (introduced by Senator Leahy)

with S.510, which would create criminal penalties for knowingly

introducing adulterated or misbranded food into interstate

commerce. Adulterated or misbranded food could mean simply that the

farmer or producer did not have all his paperwork in order or made a

technical violation of some kind that does not endanger human health

or safety.

Special Action for OKLAHOMA residents

Senator Coburn is blocking the passage of S.510 by unanimous consent,

and has raised a lot of very good objections to the bill. Please

call and THANK HIM for taking this stand. Call his DC office

at . You can read Senator Coburns statement at:

http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/rightnow?ContentRecord_id=8df5cb89-91a\

2-4ae3-b846-7487db0bd4f0

SAMPLE EMAIL

Dear Senator ________:

As you consider sweeping new federal food safety legislation (S. 510,

the Food Safety Modernization Act), please vote in support of common

sense amendments offered by Senators Tester and Hagan to exempt

small-scale direct marketing processing facilities from federal

hazard analysis and control regulations and to exempt small-scale

direct marketing farms from the produce safety standards. Local and

state health and sanitation laws are enough for producers selling

into local markets. These small-scale producers do not need and

many may not survive new federal regulations.

In August, half a billion eggs were recalled to try to prevent the

spread of salmonella that had originated on two related farms in

Iowa. Those two farms had sold eggs under at least 25 different

labels in 12 different states! The recall is symptomatic of the

industrialized food system characterized by mega-farms and long,

complex supply chains and distribution systems. This food system

needs reform.

But without Senators Tester's and Hagans common sense amendment to S.

510, the bill actually hurts food safety by imposing FDA regulation

on the local food businesses who provide consumers with an

alternative to the industrialized food system. More and more people

are seeking out local producers to buy fresh, wholesome foods from

people they trust, and they dont need or want FDA to interfere.

I urge you to vote FOR the Tester-Hagan Amendment to S. 510!

I also urge you to vote against any attempt to create criminal

penalties for adulterated or misbranded food. These terms as defined

in S.510 could include minor technical violations that harm no one.

Criminal violations should be limited to those who knowingly cause

serious harm to human health or safety.

Signed,

Your name and state

***

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