From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [permaculture] S.510 An Action Alert from NSAC
Date: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:28:40 -0500
An action alert from NSAC
Action Alert
December 8, 2010
Local and Regional Food at Risk
Call Your Representative
Food Safety Legislation passed by the Senate and to be considered by the
House as early as this week is in trouble. Big Ag is out in force,
lobbying House members to ditch provisions that are friendly to small
and midsize farms. They know that if they can impose expensive and
one-size-fits-all food safety rules, they can stop the growing local
food movement in its tracks. Lawmakers are dealing with significant
misinformation and confusion and our hard won amendments may be lost. We
must send a loud and clear message about where we stand.
Call Your Representative Today!
Urge them to pass the Senate Bill with the Tester-Hagen Amendment Intact
It's easy to call: Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code. Click
on your Representative's name, and then on the contact tab for their
phone number. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be
directly connected to your Representative's office: 202-224-3121.
The message is simple: "I am a constituent of Representative ___________
and I am calling to ask him/her to pass the Senate version of the Food
Safety Modernization Act (S.510) with the Tester-Hagen Amendment intact.
We need a food safety bill that cracks down on corporate bad actors
without erecting new barriers to more local and regional food sourcing.
Regulation that is scaled appropriately for small and mid-sized farms
and processors is vital to economic recovery, public health, and
nutritional wellbeing."
... (1) The amendment clarifies existing law which says that farmers who
direct market more than 50% of their product to the consumer at the farm
or at a retail location off the farm such as a farm stand or farmer's
market need not register with FDA. This clarification is especially
important for off-farm retail locations such as farmers markets.
(2) It provides a size appropriate and less costly alternative to Hazard
Analysis and Critical Control Plans (HACCP) for farmers who:
* Direct market more than 50% of their products directly to consumers,
stores or restaurants, and
* Have gross sales (direct and non-direct combined) of less than
$500,000, and
* Sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are in-state or within
275 miles.
Farmers who qualify must provide documentation that the farm is in
compliance with state regulations. Documentation may include licenses,
inspection reports, or other evidence that the farm is in compliance
with State, local, county, or other applicable non-Federal food safety
law. The farm must also prominently and conspicuously display the name
and address of farm/facility on its label. For foods without a label
then by poster, sign, or placard, at the point of purchase or, in the
case of Internet sales, in an electronic notice, or in the case of sales
to stores and restaurants, on the invoice.
If there are no state regulations or if the farmer prefers a different
option, the farmer must provide FDA with documentation that potential
hazards have been identified and that preventive controls have been
implemented and are being monitored for effectiveness.
(3) It provides alternatives to the produce standards for farms that:
* Direct market more than 50% of their products directly to consumers,
stores or restaurants, and
* Have gross sales (direct and non-direct combined) of less than
$500,000, and
* Sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are in-state or within
275 miles.
The farm must prominently and conspicuously display the name and address
of farm/facility on its label. For foods without a label then by poster,
sign, or placard, at the point of purchase or, in the case of Internet
sales, in an electronic notice, or in the case of sales to stores and
restaurants, on the invoice.
Also in the Senate Bill:
(1) An amendment sponsored by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to provide
for a USDA-delivered competitive grants program for food safety training
for farmers, small processors and wholesalers. The training projects
will prioritize small and mid-scale farms, beginning and socially
disadvantaged farmers, and small food processors and wholesalers. The
grant program will be administered by USDA's National Institute for Food
and Agriculture.
(2) An amendment sponsored by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) to reduce
unnecessary paperwork and excess regulation required under the
preventative control plan and the produce standards sections of the
bill. FDA is instructed to provide flexibility for small processors
including on-farm processing, to minimize the burden of compliance with
regulations, and to minimize the number of different standards that
apply to separate foods. FDA will also be prohibited from requiring
farms and other food facilities to hire consultants to write food safety
plans. The Bennet amendment applies to all small farms and processors,
not just those who direct market within 400 miles of their farms.
(3) An amendment sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for farms
that engage in value-added processing or that co-mingle product from
several farms gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority
to either exempt farms engaged in low or no risk processing or
co-mingling activities from new regulatory requirements or to modify
particular regulatory requirements for such farming operations.
(4) An amendment championed by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to strip the
bill of wildlife-threatening enforcement against "animal encroachment"
of farms is also in the manager's package. It will require FDA to apply
sound science to any requirements that might impact wildlife and
wildlife habitat on farms.
(5) An amendment proposed by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will not
require small farmers to meet extensive traceability and record keeping
if they sell food directly to consumers or to grocery stores and allows
labeling that preserves the identity of the farm to satisfy traceability
requirements. The amendment also prevents FDA from requiring any farm
from needing to keep records beyond the first point of sale when the
product leaves the farm, except in the case of farms that co-mingle
product from multiple farms, in which case they must also keep records
one step back as well as one step forward.
[permaculture] S.510 An Action Alert from NSAC,
Lawrence F. London, Jr., 12/09/2010