Comments on: HR 2749 Passes With Some Reassuring Language http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:36:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: sandra seeves http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-114105 sandra seeves Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:03:31 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-114105 I am simply wondering if anyone in the Congress is trying to revise this law. Some parts of it are rather vague. I am simply wondering if anyone in the Congress is trying to revise this law. Some parts of it are rather vague.

]]> By: Eric Brown http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3333 Eric Brown Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:34:37 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3333 Regarding exemptions for farms that only direct-market, I wouldn't be reassured. According to my state cooperative extension agent charged with educating farmers on these changes, there are tentative exemptions for "facilities registration" and "traceability requirements," but such farms would ultimately still be subject to all the same rules and record keeping, and subject to the same inspectors and regulators. Consider also, how many indirect ways regulators can put small farmers out of business. Take the farmers' market I sell at, for instance. It's organized by a chapter of the rotary club and meets in a parking lot belonging to the city. It's easy to imagine that the city wouldn't allow the rotary club to use the space unless the rotary club mandated that all farmers practiced what the government defines as "Good Agricultural Practice," for fear of liabilities arising from cooperating in "bad agricultural practice." But it looks like everyone is going to be forced to farm according to government rules and record keeping requirements anyway. Regarding exemptions for farms that only direct-market, I wouldn’t be reassured. According to my state cooperative extension agent charged with educating farmers on these changes, there are tentative exemptions for “facilities registration” and “traceability requirements,” but such farms would ultimately still be subject to all the same rules and record keeping, and subject to the same inspectors and regulators. Consider also, how many indirect ways regulators can put small farmers out of business. Take the farmers’ market I sell at, for instance. It’s organized by a chapter of the rotary club and meets in a parking lot belonging to the city. It’s easy to imagine that the city wouldn’t allow the rotary club to use the space unless the rotary club mandated that all farmers practiced what the government defines as “Good Agricultural Practice,” for fear of liabilities arising from cooperating in “bad agricultural practice.” But it looks like everyone is going to be forced to farm according to government rules and record keeping requirements anyway.

]]> By: JRBeaman http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3321 JRBeaman Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:00:34 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3321 You gotta be drunk, or blind! "So, it seems like the worst of this bill has been amended, and hopefully the rest will work towards creating a safer industrial food supply." This is a blatant bill, being fast tracked, that is about control of our food supply not food safety. Until the corporate influence of the Argo industry is removed from all these bills none should be passed. These bills are about promoting industrial farming and destroying small farms and ranches as well as local and organic farming. They are about controlling the people by controlling our food supply. They are full of unconstitutional actions and infringements on our basic freedoms: ALARMING PROVISIONS: 1) * Power to Quarantine a Geographic Area; the FDA can also Halt All Movement of All Food in a geographic area. 2) * Random Warrantless Searches of Business Records. 3) * Regulation of How Crops Are Raised and Harvested. 4) * Establishing a Tracing System for Food. 5) * Severe Criminal and Civil Penalties. 6) * Annual Registration Fee of $500. Warrantless searches of business records??? King Waxman, His Royal Highness Dingell and every other member of congress that supports this bill needs to read the U.S. Constitution. Amendment IV says, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." Legislation like this makes America a banana republic. They are not going to pay any attention to our comments and don't seem to care about what the people want, now they are raiding the Amish farms. You gotta be drunk, or blind!

“So, it seems like the worst of this bill has been amended, and hopefully the rest will work towards creating a safer industrial food supply.”

This is a blatant bill, being fast tracked, that is about control of our food supply not food safety. Until the corporate influence of the Argo industry is removed from all these bills none should be passed. These bills are about promoting industrial farming and destroying small farms and ranches as well as local and organic farming. They are about controlling the people by controlling our food supply. They are full of unconstitutional actions and infringements on our basic freedoms: ALARMING PROVISIONS:

1) * Power to Quarantine a Geographic Area; the FDA can also Halt
All Movement of All Food in a geographic area.
2) * Random Warrantless Searches of Business Records.
3) * Regulation of How Crops Are Raised and Harvested.
4) * Establishing a Tracing System for Food.
5) * Severe Criminal and Civil Penalties.
6) * Annual Registration Fee of $500.

Warrantless searches of business records??? King Waxman, His Royal Highness Dingell and every other member of congress that supports this bill needs to read the U.S. Constitution. Amendment IV says, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” Legislation like this makes America a banana republic.

They are not going to pay any attention to our comments and don’t seem to care about what the people want, now they are raiding the Amish farms.

]]> By: kstrating http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3320 kstrating Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:55:28 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3320 Has anyone found what Chris S. is looking for? As poorly written as this bill is, & considering the sentiment that Kristen's last note has, it still leaves me wondering about the fees / exemptions for those of us that have 10 chickens, 2 goats, & a garden. Chris's questions are exactly mine. Has anyone found what Chris S. is looking for? As poorly written as this bill is, & considering the sentiment that Kristen’s last note has, it still leaves me wondering about the fees / exemptions for those of us that have 10 chickens, 2 goats, & a garden. Chris’s questions are exactly mine.

]]> By: MF_Diz http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3322 MF_Diz Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:16:45 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3322 <p>The worst House Bill 2749 amended to avoid some of the effects on small farmers: <a href="http://bit.ly/Ls4mv" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/Ls4mv</a></p> <p><i>This comment was originally posted on <a href="http://twitter.com/MF_Diz/statuses/3123193897" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></i></p> The worst House Bill 2749 amended to avoid some of the effects on small farmers: http://bit.ly/Ls4mv

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

]]> By: gilliebean http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3319 gilliebean Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:20:17 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3319 Kristen, thank you for sharing this information. :) .-= gilliebean Kristen, thank you for sharing this information. :)
.-= gilliebean

]]> By: Chris S. http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3318 Chris S. Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:10:42 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3318 Could someone share with me the location of the "Small Farmer Exemption" in the passed version of the bill? All I can find is an exemption (on Page 57) that exempts small farms from the Tracing System for Food subsection - NOT from the $500/yr fee or all the paperwork/inspections/etc. Even if this exemption exits, I fear that this bill (as it is currently written) will badly cripple the local food movement! As I walked through my local Farmer's Market earlier today, I looked at the various "food producing" vendors (some selling a few excess squash, or a couple jars of homemade jam), and I know there is no way they will go through the expense and hassle of complying with HR 2749! It also appears that USDA regulated meat/poultry/egg producers are EXEMPT from the bill?! Aren't mad-cow disease and tainted beef the sorts of concerns this bill was supposed to address? Could someone share with me the location of the “Small Farmer Exemption” in the passed version of the bill? All I can find is an exemption (on Page 57) that exempts small farms from the Tracing System for Food subsection – NOT from the $500/yr fee or all the paperwork/inspections/etc.
Even if this exemption exits, I fear that this bill (as it is currently written) will badly cripple the local food movement! As I walked through my local Farmer’s Market earlier today, I looked at the various “food producing” vendors (some selling a few excess squash, or a couple jars of homemade jam), and I know there is no way they will go through the expense and hassle of complying with HR 2749!
It also appears that USDA regulated meat/poultry/egg producers are EXEMPT from the bill?! Aren’t mad-cow disease and tainted beef the sorts of concerns this bill was supposed to address?

]]> By: Bill http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3317 Bill Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:09:05 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3317 The link for the letter did not go through: http://files.e2ma.net/13831/assets/docs/food_safety_letter.pdf The link for the letter did not go through:

http://files.e2ma.net/13831/assets/docs/food_safety_letter.pdf

]]> By: Bill http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3316 Bill Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:06:22 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3316 Larissa, I agree that we need to stop this bill in the senate. What online groups opposing 2749 and NAIS have you found to be the best organized? I've been following Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Health FreedomUSA.org, and Farm to Consumer sites. What is your opinion on the Kaptur/Farr letter described in the quote below? Bill "Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), Sam Farr (CA-17), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-2), Peter Welch (VT-at large), Chellie Pingree (ME-1) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) last week submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee with specific proposed changes to HR 2749 that addresses many of the concerns raised by the sustainable and organic agriculture community. It is important that you call your Representative today, Wednesday, by midday, and ask them to join the effort to protect small and mid-sized family farmers, the environment, and consumer choice by supporting the provisions in the Kaptur-Farr proposal to HR 2749. Please see the background section below for more information " Larissa,

I agree that we need to stop this bill in the senate.

What online groups opposing 2749 and NAIS have you found to be the best organized?

I’ve been following Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Health FreedomUSA.org, and Farm to Consumer sites.

What is your opinion on the Kaptur/Farr letter described in the quote below?

Bill

“Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), Sam Farr (CA-17), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-2), Peter Welch (VT-at large), Chellie Pingree (ME-1) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) last week submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee with specific proposed changes to HR 2749 that addresses many of the concerns raised by the sustainable and organic agriculture community.

It is important that you call your Representative today, Wednesday, by midday, and ask them to join the effort to protect small and mid-sized family farmers, the environment, and consumer choice by supporting the provisions in the Kaptur-Farr proposal to HR 2749. Please see the background section below for more information “

]]> By: livinglocalnh http://www.foodrenegade.com/hr-2749-passes-with-some-reassuring-language/#comment-3323 livinglocalnh Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:09:19 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=1159#comment-3323 <p>#HR 2749 Passed, with SOME reassuring provisions & language: <a href="http://bit.ly/NUGlM" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/NUGlM</a></p> <p><i>This comment was originally posted on <a href="http://twitter.com/livinglocalnh/statuses/3063905250" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></i></p> #HR 2749 Passed, with SOME reassuring provisions & language: http://bit.ly/NUGlM

This comment was originally posted on Twitter

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