Name: Anonymous 2009-06-23 2:39
The stated purpose of H.R. 875 introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro is to, “To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes.”
Unfortunately, the vague subjective language of the bill seems to seek the criminalization anyone who exchanges food (note: not just sale of food, but any exchange) with another person without the proper registration and regulation by the Food Safety Administration. There is no distinction made in the language of bill between industrial food producers, local farmers or households. For example, food production facility is defined as, “ any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.” Taken at face value, this language would extend government control to the smallest food producer—the home gardener.
Under the legislation, any violation would be severely punished.
“Any person that commits an act that violates the food safety law (including a regulation promulgated or order issued under the food safety law) may be assessed a civil penalty by the Administrator of not more than $1,000,000 for each such act.” And each day during which the act continues shall be considered a separate offense.
In addition, this bill has no language to specifically address the increasing amount of food additives, chemicals, and pesticides that find their onto American dinner tables from industrial farming practices. Instead, H.R. 875 seems intent on regulating or scaring small operations out of existence.
Delauro’s husband, Stan Greenberg, is a political strategist employed by Monsanto.
Unfortunately, the vague subjective language of the bill seems to seek the criminalization anyone who exchanges food (note: not just sale of food, but any exchange) with another person without the proper registration and regulation by the Food Safety Administration. There is no distinction made in the language of bill between industrial food producers, local farmers or households. For example, food production facility is defined as, “ any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.” Taken at face value, this language would extend government control to the smallest food producer—the home gardener.
Under the legislation, any violation would be severely punished.
“Any person that commits an act that violates the food safety law (including a regulation promulgated or order issued under the food safety law) may be assessed a civil penalty by the Administrator of not more than $1,000,000 for each such act.” And each day during which the act continues shall be considered a separate offense.
In addition, this bill has no language to specifically address the increasing amount of food additives, chemicals, and pesticides that find their onto American dinner tables from industrial farming practices. Instead, H.R. 875 seems intent on regulating or scaring small operations out of existence.
Delauro’s husband, Stan Greenberg, is a political strategist employed by Monsanto.