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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Fwd: Re: [SANET-MG] S.510 back from the dead to unleash army of FDA agents
  • Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:49:52 -0500

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] S.510 back from the dead to unleash army of FDA agents
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 11:17:31 -0700
From: Jeff Schahczenski <jeffs@NCAT.ORG>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

Thank you Gale,

The following is one of the better summary statements and I would also suggest reading the more general statement from NSAC at http://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Sustainable-Food-Safety_FINAL.pdf

From my understanding nothing in the Food Safety legislation that has passed the Senate
and will likely become law will be ideal (what legislation is).. it does provide
protections and resources to better assist farmers of all sizes and types to better
"deal" with admittedly a greater level of regulation. However, it is better
to constrain the FDA in legislation (and in the ultimate rule making to follow) then it
is to let FDA act in an arbitrary manner, which may have been the result if this
legislation would not have passed


--------
Washington, DC December 1, 2010 - The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is pleased with emerging House leadership plans to attach the Senate-passed Food Safety Modernization Act (S 510) to another House bill and send it as a package back to the Senate for final approval. The maneuver was necessitated by a requirement that legislation involving revenues in any way originate in the House. Our coalition is disturbed, however, by the continued statements by agribusiness groups opposing the Senate bill.

“The produce industry trade groups are of course entitled to their position and entitled to try to stop the food safety bill in its tracks,” said Ferd Hoefner, NSAC Policy Director. “But we think such an effort is seriously misguided. Family farm and sustainable agriculture groups applaud the Senate for moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Rather than backing rigid, one-size-fits-all regulation of the type favored by industry to squeeze out family farmers, the Senate improved the original bill through a series of carefully crafted and balanced amendments to ensure improved food safety without creating unnecessary barriers to farm profitability, good land stewardship, or enhanced access to local, fresh, healthy food. House leadership is making the right call in passing the balanced and bipartisan Senate bill.”

Given the misinformation being spread by parts of the agricultural industry about the Senate bill, NSAC is writing to Congress to remind Members that under the Senate bill as passed yesterday, all of the following are true:

* FDA's current authority is in no way diminished;
* Qualified food facilities, including farm-based facilities, still must register with FDA;
* Qualified facilities that are very small or that are farms that direct market their crops must submit evidence to FDA of either Federal or State and local food safety compliance;
* FDA and State and local authorities may inspect or conduct investigations of all qualified facilities;
* FDA may issue recall notices or quarantines if an FDA investigation reveals a food safety problem in a qualified facility; and
* If FDA determines, in the absence of a formal investigation, that there are material conditions in a qualified facility that threaten food safety, then FDA can issue a recall (if appropriate) and require additional federal measures to assure any problems are corrected.

NSAC is an alliance of 40 grassroots family farm, food, rural, and conservation organizations working together to advance federal policies that support a transition to a more sustainable farm and food system.






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