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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] WHEATGRASS, SPROUTS - FDA "Guidance"

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  • From: Leigh Hauter <lh AT pressroom.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] WHEATGRASS, SPROUTS - FDA "Guidance"
  • Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2004 14:49:19 -0400

At 12:01 -0500 8/8/04, Adriana wrote:
Don't be misled by the use of the term "guidance" by the FDA. "Guidance"
has the full force of law. I've seen it in writing and had it confirmed
verbally by an FDA official. "Regulations" are what they are and should be
called.Why they chose such a loosey-goosey term is beyond me.

> And the new one which is a 'guidance' called
"sampling and Microbial Testing of Spent
> Irrigation Water During Sprout Production"

Exactly right.

Another question we should be asking ourselves is why the FDA and USDA promulgate rules that put small producers out of business. Is it that they don't care, and don't think of the implications on small farmers (often they could think of cheaper ways of doing things that would have the same or better results)?

Or is it, like my wife says (and she works on these issues on a professional basis) that the USDA is anti small producer and would seemingly like nothing better than to put small producers out of the food production business. Her observation is that these rules are designed for large corporations and the rules are often more strictly enforced on small producers (look at slaughterhouse rules, regulations and enforcement for a prime example).

I hate to say something so obvious, but small farmers in the USA need to learn a little French (and I'm not talking about the language) and start protecting their own interests like French small farmers do.

I'm not talking about dumping manure in front of McDonalds either but I do mean organizing and lobbying for rules that are small producer friendly. You know darn well that the large producers spend millions defending their interests. That's probably why USDA and FDA 'guidances' are so skewed.

It would be interesting to see if the above 'guidance' was first vetted with the lobbyist for some of the large packers of sprouts.




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