permaculture

[Brent McMillan <brent@gp.org>]

From: American Association for Health Freedom

Subject: Food Safety Bill Quietly Scheduled for a Vote on House Floor 
Call Your Representative Now!

HR2749 is set on the House Suspension Calendar for a vote Tuesday or 
Wednesday of this week- WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BILL MAY BE MODIFIED BUT 
THE NEW LANGUAGE HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!  A bill considered on the 
suspension calendar means no amendments are allowed and only 40 minutes 
of debate is permitted equally divided between the opponents and 
proponents of the bill.

A bill of this scale needs to be carefully and extensively debated and 
open for amendments!  The implications from such an expansive bill could 
be detrimental to consumers' access to healthy foods and to the 
prosperity of small business owners.

Since we have not seen the revised bill, we only know what the bill 
originally looked like-which wasn't good.  Our primary concerns remain:

(1) establishing an annual $500 user fee that subsidizes giant food 
processors at the expense of small and family-owned businesses which is 
simply unfair;

(2) lumping small farms and processors into the same category as large 
agribusiness operations, and creating complicated regulations without 
special rules for small businesses;

(3) allowing the FDA to directly regulate farming practices-be it a 
large commercial farm or a small organic operation; and

(4) increasing the FDA's authority dramatically with no corresponding 
increase in oversight of the agency such as unlimited access to any and 
all records-without cause-and the ability to impose substantial criminal 
and civil fines-without a showing of harm-for administrative violations.

How can a Representative thoroughly review over 100 pages and have an 
informed vote with only 40 minutes of debate?

Please telephone and/or email your Representatives to voice your 
concerns-let her/him know that this bill needs a thorough review and 
should be open for amendments!

Thank you for taking the time!

Tami L. Wahl
Legislative Director

American Association for Health Freedom

Posted by:
Brent McMillan, Steward of Woodhaven
Avilla, IN USA