Homestead mailing list

[Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

This is what some people in New Zealand passed along to me.

Hi Don,

There is concern here about this proposed law. The Greens website has
this press release:
http://i.greens.org.nz/press-releases/govt-needs-rethink-food-bill-s-reach

Govt needs to rethink Food Bill's reach
Tuesday, 11 Oct 2011 | Press Release
Contact: Sue Kedgley MP
Tag: Food

Home gardeners, people who barter or swap food, sell food directly to
consumers, and small growers, should be exempt from food regulations
contained in a new Food Bill, Green Party food spokesperson Sue
Kedgley said today.

The Food Bill is due to have its second reading when then new
Parliament reconvenes. It would require people who trade or barter
food to operate under a registered food control plan or a national
programme.

"There is growing public concern that provisions in the Food Bill
could result in excessive regulations and restrictions on home
gardeners and small growers," Ms Kedgley said.

Ms Kedgley said home gardeners, people who barter food or sell it
directly to consumers, should not have been captured in the Bill.

"I am calling on the Minister to allay people's fears by reassuring
New Zealanders that these groups will be exempt from the provisions
of the Bill."

Ms Kedgley said it was excessive, bureaucratic and unnecessary to
impose regulations on home gardeners and those who swap food.

"These provisions are not going to help New Zealander's eat more healthily.

"We should be doing everything we can to encourage people to grow and
swap food, not discourage local food production by imposing
potentially onerous regulations on home gardeners.

"For economic and health reasons we should be supporting community
gardens, farmers markets, community supported agriculture, bartering
and food swapping, and any other system of local food production that
helps improve the country's food security and resilience."

Ms Kedgley said if the Government did not agree to exempt home
gardeners and small growers from the bill, the Green Party would be
unlikely to support it.
--------------------------------------------------
Sue Kedgley is a long term campaigner on healthy food and is pretty
reliable. But she is no longer dealing with this issue, because she
has just retired from Parliament and the Greens have yet to announce
their new spokespeople following our recent election.

David found the following video clip, which seems to give the story
pretty well (ignore ads!):

How the Food Bill could affect you
Tue, 22 Nov 2011 7:00p.m.
The fusion of food and politics is always a hot potato and the
current Food Bill is proof of that. It has provoked marches and
petitions and alarm that the government may control the sharing of
seeds or even greens from our garden. Most of all, the 360 page bill
has been generating confusion.
Reporter Whena Owen attempts to get the facts about a law that may 
affect you.

http://www.3news.co.nz/How-the-Food-Bill-could-affect-you/tabid/419/articleID/233631/Default.aspx#ixzz1fKIDYNvp

http://tinyurl.com/blm4hmf

Hope this helps,

Bera

At 4:09 PM -0600 1/12/11, Don Bowen wrote:
>
>
>David, I have a question for you. Someone on another list is asking
>about the New Zealand food law currently being considered. In typical
>right wing outrage dujour they say it will outlaw home gardening. What
>is the real story, not the faux news version?
>
>--
>Don Bowen KI6DIU
><http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html>http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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