In studying planetary herbalism and other systems of natural medical care and wellness, consider researching these natural solutions and be sure to be working with someone schooled in this type of medicine whom can also do an intake on whomever you are concerned with:
Anti-viral:
Red algae- Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid pigment that is a powerful biological antioxidant. Research on the mode of action of antioxidants and astaxanthin, as well as their possible role(s) in oxidative stress, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, eye health, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, immune response, exercise, and animal health, are summarized here at this site and you are always encouraged to do your own research: Note: google scholar will bring up many peer-reviewed studies
http://www.astaxanthin.org/
Propollis- A simple google search of these terms: propolis virus will pull up information such as this:
Anti-Infective Properties of Propolis
Propolis has been used for wound-healing for thousands of years. During World Wars I and II, soldiers used propolis to prevent their wounds from becoming infected and to speed the healing process. The early research work on propolis was mostly done in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, consisting of highly technical laboratory studies as well as controlled clinical trials. Laboratory tests showed that propolis on its own is effective against over 20 kinds of bacteria.(1) Clinical studies from the former Soviet Union,(2) Romania,(3) and China,(4) demonstrated that propolis was effective against various kinds of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Dr. Kravcuk of Kiev found that propolis was effective against sore throats and dry coughs in 90% of 260 patients.(5) A recent study by Serkedjieva, et al, showed that the active ingredients in propolis significantly inhibited the Hong Kong flu virus.(6) Therefore, propolis might be a good agent to prevent and treat the common cold and flu. Recent studies also show that propolis is effective against the herpes simplex virus.(7,8)
http://intelegen.com/ImmuneSystem/propolis_a_remarkable.htm
Yin Chiao
In 1798 Dr. Wu Ju Tong first published the cold remedy known as Yin chiao. He knew it worked, because everyone had already been using it for generations.
For hundreds of years, Yin Chiao and similar Chinese remedies have dealt a quick end to billions of hated colds, flu and other ailments.
http://www.yinchiao.com/
Special Report on SARS: How you can support your immune system
Dr. Maoshing Ni, a Licensed Acupuncturist and a Diplomat of Chinese Herbology, is currently in general practice at the Tao of Wellness Clinic in Santa Monica, California. The Tao of Wellness Clinic is one of the oldest in Los Angeles, established in 1976. (310) 917-2200
Extensive studies of ways to strengthen the human defenses have been carried out for centuries in China, producing a wealth of knowledge on Chinese herbal medicine and its effect on the immune system. While there is currently no cure for SARS, the Chinese Government Health Authority recently released its recommendations for preventing SARS. These recommendations consist of Chinese herbal medicine formulations as prophylactic agents against SARS. They are herbs that have been found to contain anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and have immune boosting qualities. Some are effective in increasing the white blood cell production in your body (they are your defense troops), while others increase lymphocyte activities such as killing foreign invaders, etc. Fundamental principles of Chinese medicine are, of course, “Treating disease before its occurrence”, and “Strengthen the defenses to prevent sickness.”
The recommendations are listed below:
Lu Gen (reed root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Chan Yi (cicada shell), Jiang Chan (silkworm), Bo He (peppermint), Gan Cao (licorice)
Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Bai Zhu (white atractylodes rhizome), Huang Qi (astragalus root), Fang Feng (siler root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Sha Sheng (silver beech root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root)
Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Da Qing Ye (Isatis leaf), Zi Su (perilla leaf), Ge gen (Kudzu root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Pei Lan (ornamental orchid), Tai Zi Sheng (pseudostellaria root)
Persons whose jobs (health workers) or relations may bring them into contact with someone with potential SARS are advised to take the following formula:
Da Huang (Chinese rhubarb root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Chai Hu (bupleuri root), Huang Qing (skullcap root), Ban Lan Gen (Isatis root), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Cang Shu, Yi Yi Ren (Job’s tears), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Fang Feng (siler root), Gan Cao (licorice)
http://www.acupuncture.com/conditions/sars.htm
Colloidal silver-
This is one of those controversial items to take. Naturally, some say, conventional medicine will tell you not to take colloidal silver because most big pharmaceutical companies and the doctors and nurses they help graduate will try to discredit natural cures all together because it hurts their business interests:
Be careful to stop taking it after the virus symptoms clear and use only as directed. Some people have gotten so excited about the results they continue taking it daily forgetting that silver is a heavy metal and will accumulate like any other heavy metal which can poison the body.
Mayo Clinic tells persons not to take colloidal silver http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colloidal-silver/AN01682
However, colloidal silver continues to be a big seller as persons claim they have good results with it.
This video of a retired pharmacist and Doctor of Pharmacology gives information about the history of colloidal silver. He says in the video that between that silver has been used for thousands of years however, if the wrong grade or if it is overused, heavy metal toxicity can result. Mr. Harris says that between the years of was the drug of choice 1900- 1938 when penicillan was discovered because it will kill over 650 pathogens. The Egyptians were the first known culture it is thought to have used silver. During the bubonic plague, the commoners who used wood to eat on or with died he claims while those upper class who ate on or with silver, lived.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?rlz=1C1GGLS_en-USUS293US304&sourceid=chrome&q=colloidal+silver&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Xpn3SdrIG4WwtAOg_p3dDg&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#
Want to brew up your own cold and flu recipes?
See this link below:
http://www.livingawareness.com/coldandflurecipes.aspx
And of course, it is always best practice in working with natural herbs to find a good licensed herbalist/ accupuncturist practitioner through good recommendations per your own personal network or your own research. Here is a site that I have heard many good things about : http://www.acufinder.com/ OR- shop at a health food store who will often hire persons highly knowledgeable about natural herbs in general.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Pig Industry Overpowers President As Beef over Oprah?
By Karen Hansen - Apr 29th, 2009 at 10:59 am EDT
CBS News declared this morning that the President of the United States no longer calls this flu the swine flu and instead is being encouraged to refer to it as the Mexican flu?
Do you see what they want you to do? They want you to hate Mexicans rather than Factory Farms.
Hello- anyone remember when the Cattlemans Association took Oprah Windfrey to the Supreme Court?
BTW I researched some natural antivirals. See here: http://naturalantiviral.blogspot.com/
A New Avian Component?
from David Kirby April 26, 2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
Avian influenza viral components can easily mix with swine flu virus to create new bugs - and this can happen on both traditional hog farms and inside CAFOs, scientists say.
Last year, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production issued a lengthy report on factory farming that included research on emerging forms of avian-swine-human influenza viruses. The molecular forensics of rapidly mutating animal pathogens makes epidemiological investigations all the more challenging, it said. "Populations exposed to infectious agents arising in CAFOs are even more difficult to define as some agents - such as a novel avian influenza virus - may be highly transmissible in or well beyond a community setting," the Pew report stated.
The transmission of avian or swine influenza viruses to humans, the report said, (almost wistfully, in retrospect), "seems a rather infrequent event today."
But the commission also issued this grave and perhaps all-too prescient warning:
The continual cycling of swine influenza viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks provides increased opportunity for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission of these viruses. In addition, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities. This bridging increases the risk of novel virus generation in that human viruses may enter the herds or flocks and adapt to the animals.
Reassortant influenza viruses with human components have ravaged the modern swine industry. Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infections, but also potentially increase zoonotic disease transmission risk to the communities where the workers live. For instance, 64% of 63 persons exposed to humans infected with H7N7 avian influenza virus had serological evidence of H7N7 infection following the 2003 Netherlands avian influenza outbreak in poultry. Similarly, the spouses of swine workers who had no direct contact with pigs had increased odds of antibodies against swine influenza virus. Recent modeling work has shown that among communities where a large number of CAFO workers live, there is great potential for these workers to accelerate pandemic influenza virus transmission.
"We met with a team of researchers from the University of Iowa who are studying avian flu, and their real concern was the very scenario that may have happened in Mexico - that avian flu may get into a swine CAFO and rapidly mutate and then get passed to workers, and then on to other people very quickly," Bob Martin, who was executive director of the now-disbanded commission and currently a Senior Officer at the Pew Environmental Group, told me.
"Their concern was that new strains of avian flu combining with swine flu could make the swine flu more deadly," he said. "And because viruses pass so easily between pigs and people, the new avian component could make swine flu more virulent."
Researchers such as Gregory Gray, MD, a University of Iowa professor of international epidemiology and expert in zoonotic infections, warned that CAFO workers could serve as a "bridging population" to rural communities sharing viruses with the pigs, and vice-versa. Other scientists suggested that CAFO workers could theoretically spread disease quickly to great distances. An outbreak of infectious avian flu on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, for example, could reach the Rocky Mountains within 36 hours.
The Iowa team was also worried that CAFO production could lead to another 1918-style global pandemic. One theory behind that calamity is that waterfowl cross-infected U.S. pigs with a new type of avian-swine super-virus that was quickly transmitted to farm workers, possibly in Iowa, who went off to military training camps for WWI, and then spread the pathogen worldwide
"One very big concern was that swine flu mixed with wild bird flu, or bird flu in a chicken CAFO, tended to be ripe for incubating new types of viral infections, especially since the animals are so densely packed together," Bob Martin said.
Hog CAFOs are supposed to be completely closed environments, in order to protect the pigs from outside diseases. Visitors are usually required to shower and don special protective clothing (again, for the animals' benefit) before going inside a confinement.
But these are not hermetically sealed environments, and pathogens can enter and exit a CAFO in a number of ways other than via swine workers (or flies, another proven vector of CAFO diseases).
To begin with, some swine CAFO's recover water from their waste lagoons and recycle it back into the animal housing, in order to wash out the barns while also cutting down on dwindling groundwater supplies (a particular concern in parts of Mexico, to be sure). But wildfowl routinely land in CAFO lagoons, where they can easily shed influenza virus into the water. This can also happen at facilities that use water from nearby ponds or rivers.
Here in the U.S., the National Pork Board had already urged all producers to take a number of steps to reduce the risk of avian-to-swine influenza transmission (A new advisory has also been posted today).
"It is in the best interest of both human public health and animal health that transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to people, from people to pigs, from birds to pigs and from pigs to birds be minimized," says the group's website, Pork.org.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
CBS News declared this morning that the President of the United States no longer calls this flu the swine flu and instead is being encouraged to refer to it as the Mexican flu?
Do you see what they want you to do? They want you to hate Mexicans rather than Factory Farms.
Hello- anyone remember when the Cattlemans Association took Oprah Windfrey to the Supreme Court?
BTW I researched some natural antivirals. See here: http://naturalantiviral.blogspot.com/
A New Avian Component?
from David Kirby April 26, 2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
Avian influenza viral components can easily mix with swine flu virus to create new bugs - and this can happen on both traditional hog farms and inside CAFOs, scientists say.
Last year, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production issued a lengthy report on factory farming that included research on emerging forms of avian-swine-human influenza viruses. The molecular forensics of rapidly mutating animal pathogens makes epidemiological investigations all the more challenging, it said. "Populations exposed to infectious agents arising in CAFOs are even more difficult to define as some agents - such as a novel avian influenza virus - may be highly transmissible in or well beyond a community setting," the Pew report stated.
The transmission of avian or swine influenza viruses to humans, the report said, (almost wistfully, in retrospect), "seems a rather infrequent event today."
But the commission also issued this grave and perhaps all-too prescient warning:
The continual cycling of swine influenza viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks provides increased opportunity for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission of these viruses. In addition, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities. This bridging increases the risk of novel virus generation in that human viruses may enter the herds or flocks and adapt to the animals.
Reassortant influenza viruses with human components have ravaged the modern swine industry. Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infections, but also potentially increase zoonotic disease transmission risk to the communities where the workers live. For instance, 64% of 63 persons exposed to humans infected with H7N7 avian influenza virus had serological evidence of H7N7 infection following the 2003 Netherlands avian influenza outbreak in poultry. Similarly, the spouses of swine workers who had no direct contact with pigs had increased odds of antibodies against swine influenza virus. Recent modeling work has shown that among communities where a large number of CAFO workers live, there is great potential for these workers to accelerate pandemic influenza virus transmission.
"We met with a team of researchers from the University of Iowa who are studying avian flu, and their real concern was the very scenario that may have happened in Mexico - that avian flu may get into a swine CAFO and rapidly mutate and then get passed to workers, and then on to other people very quickly," Bob Martin, who was executive director of the now-disbanded commission and currently a Senior Officer at the Pew Environmental Group, told me.
"Their concern was that new strains of avian flu combining with swine flu could make the swine flu more deadly," he said. "And because viruses pass so easily between pigs and people, the new avian component could make swine flu more virulent."
Researchers such as Gregory Gray, MD, a University of Iowa professor of international epidemiology and expert in zoonotic infections, warned that CAFO workers could serve as a "bridging population" to rural communities sharing viruses with the pigs, and vice-versa. Other scientists suggested that CAFO workers could theoretically spread disease quickly to great distances. An outbreak of infectious avian flu on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, for example, could reach the Rocky Mountains within 36 hours.
The Iowa team was also worried that CAFO production could lead to another 1918-style global pandemic. One theory behind that calamity is that waterfowl cross-infected U.S. pigs with a new type of avian-swine super-virus that was quickly transmitted to farm workers, possibly in Iowa, who went off to military training camps for WWI, and then spread the pathogen worldwide
"One very big concern was that swine flu mixed with wild bird flu, or bird flu in a chicken CAFO, tended to be ripe for incubating new types of viral infections, especially since the animals are so densely packed together," Bob Martin said.
Hog CAFOs are supposed to be completely closed environments, in order to protect the pigs from outside diseases. Visitors are usually required to shower and don special protective clothing (again, for the animals' benefit) before going inside a confinement.
But these are not hermetically sealed environments, and pathogens can enter and exit a CAFO in a number of ways other than via swine workers (or flies, another proven vector of CAFO diseases).
To begin with, some swine CAFO's recover water from their waste lagoons and recycle it back into the animal housing, in order to wash out the barns while also cutting down on dwindling groundwater supplies (a particular concern in parts of Mexico, to be sure). But wildfowl routinely land in CAFO lagoons, where they can easily shed influenza virus into the water. This can also happen at facilities that use water from nearby ponds or rivers.
Here in the U.S., the National Pork Board had already urged all producers to take a number of steps to reduce the risk of avian-to-swine influenza transmission (A new advisory has also been posted today).
"It is in the best interest of both human public health and animal health that transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to people, from people to pigs, from birds to pigs and from pigs to birds be minimized," says the group's website, Pork.org.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
Swine Flu Outbreak -- Nature Biting Back at Industrial Animal Production?
David Kirby Journalist
Huffington Post Posted April 26, 2009 | 05:17 PM (EST)
Officials from the CDC and USDA will likely arrive in Mexico soon to help investigate the deadly new influenza virus that managed to jump from pigs to people in a previously unseen mutated form that can readily spread among humans.
One of the first things they will want to look at are the hundreds of industrial-scale hog facilities that have sprung up around Mexico in recent years, and the thousands of people employed inside the crowded, pathogen-filled confinement buildings and processing plants.
Industry calls these massive compounds "confined animal feeding operations," or CAFOs (KAY-fohs), though most people know them simply as "factory farms." You have seen them before while flying: Long white buildings lined up in tightly packed rows of three, four or more. Within each confinement, thousands of pigs are restricted to indoor pens and grain-fed for market, while breeding sows are kept in small metal crates where they spend most of their lives pregnant or nursing piglets.
In the last several years, U.S. hog conglomerates have opened giant swine CAFOs south of the border, including dozens around Mexico City in the neighboring states of Mexico and Puebla. Smithfield Foods also reportedly operates a huge swine facility in the State of Veracruz. Many of these CAFOs raise tens of thousands of pigs at a time. Cheaper labor costs and a desire to enter the Latin American market are drawing more industrialized agriculture to Mexico all the time, wiping out smaller, traditional farms, which now account for only a small portion of swine production in Mexico.
"Classic" swine flu virus (not the novel, mutated form in the news) is considered endemic in southern Mexico, while the region around the capital is classified as an "eradication area" - meaning the disease is present, and efforts are underway to control it. For some reason, vaccination of pigs against swine flu is prohibited in this area, and growers rely instead on depopulation and restriction of animal movement when outbreaks occur.
U.S. and Mexican epidemiologists and veterinarians will surely want to take swine samples from Mexican CAFOs and examine them for the newly discovered influenza strain (No one knows exactly how long it has been in circulation). And though it is too early to know if this new virus mutated and incubated on Mexican hog CAFOs, the industrialized facilities unquestionably belong on the list of suspects.
Pigs are nature's notorious "mixing bowls" for inter-species infections, and many swine flu viruses have long contained human influenza genetic components. Then, in the late 1990's - when industrialized swine production really took off in North America - scientists were alarmed to find that avian influenza genetic material was also mixed into the continent's viral soup (see below). Fortunately, it was not the dreaded and lethal H5N1 strain, which most people know of as "bird flu."
So where did this new, virulent and highly infectious influenza emerge from? According to Mexico's Health Minister, Jose Angel Cordova, the virus "mutated from pigs, and then at some point was transmitted to humans." It sure sounds like something happened on some farm, somewhere.
For years, leading scientists around the world have worried that large-scale, indoor swine "factories" would become breeding grounds for new pathogens that could more easily infect humans and then spread out rapidly in the general population - threatening to become a global pandemic.
We know that hog workers in Europe and North America are far more likely than others to be infected with potentially lethal pathogens such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), drug-resistant E. coli and Salmonella, and of course, swine influenza. Many scientists also believe that people who work inside CAFOs are more at risk of contracting and spreading these and other "zoonotic" diseases than those working in smaller-scale operations, with outdoor pens or pasture and far lower animal density.
But until now, hog workers with swine flu have rarely gone on to infect other people, save for close family members. And that is why this new strain of swine influenza virus is so vexing - and alarming. It seems to spread quite easily through casual human contact.
This new strain making headlines and killing people contains genetic components of human flu virus, avian flu virus and - for the first time ever - two types of swine flu virus: American and Eurasian. "Such a combination of components (genes) was not found so far, neither among humans nor among pigs (as far as we know)," CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said in an email.
Nobody yet knows whether the mysterious mixing of two continents' swine flu genes is what made this outbreak so deadly, and so infectious among people, but you can bet that the world's best labs are already on the case. Another possibility is that a new and more aggressive strain of avian influenza got into the new mix as well.
How could this happen? There are several plausible explanations.
A New Avian Component?
Avian influenza viral components can easily mix with swine flu virus to create new bugs - and this can happen on both traditional hog farms and inside CAFOs, scientists say.
Last year, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production issued a lengthy report on factory farming that included research on emerging forms of avian-swine-human influenza viruses. The molecular forensics of rapidly mutating animal pathogens makes epidemiological investigations all the more challenging, it said. "Populations exposed to infectious agents arising in CAFOs are even more difficult to define as some agents - such as a novel avian influenza virus - may be highly transmissible in or well beyond a community setting," the Pew report stated.
The transmission of avian or swine influenza viruses to humans, the report said, (almost wistfully, in retrospect), "seems a rather infrequent event today."
But the commission also issued this grave and perhaps all-too prescient warning:
The continual cycling of swine influenza viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks provides increased opportunity for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission of these viruses. In addition, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities. This bridging increases the risk of novel virus generation in that human viruses may enter the herds or flocks and adapt to the animals.
Reassortant influenza viruses with human components have ravaged the modern swine industry. Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infections, but also potentially increase zoonotic disease transmission risk to the communities where the workers live. For instance, 64% of 63 persons exposed to humans infected with H7N7 avian influenza virus had serological evidence of H7N7 infection following the 2003 Netherlands avian influenza outbreak in poultry. Similarly, the spouses of swine workers who had no direct contact with pigs had increased odds of antibodies against swine influenza virus. Recent modeling work has shown that among communities where a large number of CAFO workers live, there is great potential for these workers to accelerate pandemic influenza virus transmission.
"We met with a team of researchers from the University of Iowa who are studying avian flu, and their real concern was the very scenario that may have happened in Mexico - that avian flu may get into a swine CAFO and rapidly mutate and then get passed to workers, and then on to other people very quickly," Bob Martin, who was executive director of the now-disbanded commission and currently a Senior Officer at the Pew Environmental Group, told me.
"Their concern was that new strains of avian flu combining with swine flu could make the swine flu more deadly," he said. "And because viruses pass so easily between pigs and people, the new avian component could make swine flu more virulent."
Researchers such as Gregory Gray, MD, a University of Iowa professor of international epidemiology and expert in zoonotic infections, warned that CAFO workers could serve as a "bridging population" to rural communities sharing viruses with the pigs, and vice-versa. Other scientists suggested that CAFO workers could theoretically spread disease quickly to great distances. An outbreak of infectious avian flu on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, for example, could reach the Rocky Mountains within 36 hours.
The Iowa team was also worried that CAFO production could lead to another 1918-style global pandemic. One theory behind that calamity is that waterfowl cross-infected U.S. pigs with a new type of avian-swine super-virus that was quickly transmitted to farm workers, possibly in Iowa, who went off to military training camps for WWI, and then spread the pathogen worldwide
"One very big concern was that swine flu mixed with wild bird flu, or bird flu in a chicken CAFO, tended to be ripe for incubating new types of viral infections, especially since the animals are so densely packed together," Bob Martin said.
Hog CAFOs are supposed to be completely closed environments, in order to protect the pigs from outside diseases. Visitors are usually required to shower and don special protective clothing (again, for the animals' benefit) before going inside a confinement.
But these are not hermetically sealed environments, and pathogens can enter and exit a CAFO in a number of ways other than via swine workers (or flies, another proven vector of CAFO diseases).
To begin with, some swine CAFO's recover water from their waste lagoons and recycle it back into the animal housing, in order to wash out the barns while also cutting down on dwindling groundwater supplies (a particular concern in parts of Mexico, to be sure). But wildfowl routinely land in CAFO lagoons, where they can easily shed influenza virus into the water. This can also happen at facilities that use water from nearby ponds or rivers.
Here in the U.S., the National Pork Board had already urged all producers to take a number of steps to reduce the risk of avian-to-swine influenza transmission (A new advisory has also been posted today).
"It is in the best interest of both human public health and animal health that transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to people, from people to pigs, from birds to pigs and from pigs to birds be minimized," says the group's website, Pork.org.
"The global reservoir of influenza viruses in waterfowl, the examples of infection of pigs with waterfowl-origin influenza viruses, the risks for reassortment of avian viruses with swine and/or human influenza viruses in pigs, and the risk for transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to domestic turkeys all indicate that contact between pigs and both wild and domestic fowl should be minimized," the Pork Board says. It then offers some "potentially useful" factors to "reduce transmission of influenza viruses between birds and pigs":
■ Bird-proofing - All doorways, windows and air-flow vents in swine housing units should be adequately sealed or screened to prevent entrance of birds.
■ Water treatment - Do not use untreated surface water as either drinking water or water for cleaning in swine facilities. Likewise, it may be prudent to attempt to minimize waterfowl use of farm lagoons.
■ Separation of pig and bird production - Do not raise pigs and domestic fowl on the same premises.
■ Feed security - Keep pig feed in closed containers to prevent contamination with feces from over-flying waterfowl.
■ Worker biosecurity - Provide boots for workers that are worn only within the pig housing units, thus eliminating.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
Huffington Post Posted April 26, 2009 | 05:17 PM (EST)
Officials from the CDC and USDA will likely arrive in Mexico soon to help investigate the deadly new influenza virus that managed to jump from pigs to people in a previously unseen mutated form that can readily spread among humans.
One of the first things they will want to look at are the hundreds of industrial-scale hog facilities that have sprung up around Mexico in recent years, and the thousands of people employed inside the crowded, pathogen-filled confinement buildings and processing plants.
Industry calls these massive compounds "confined animal feeding operations," or CAFOs (KAY-fohs), though most people know them simply as "factory farms." You have seen them before while flying: Long white buildings lined up in tightly packed rows of three, four or more. Within each confinement, thousands of pigs are restricted to indoor pens and grain-fed for market, while breeding sows are kept in small metal crates where they spend most of their lives pregnant or nursing piglets.
In the last several years, U.S. hog conglomerates have opened giant swine CAFOs south of the border, including dozens around Mexico City in the neighboring states of Mexico and Puebla. Smithfield Foods also reportedly operates a huge swine facility in the State of Veracruz. Many of these CAFOs raise tens of thousands of pigs at a time. Cheaper labor costs and a desire to enter the Latin American market are drawing more industrialized agriculture to Mexico all the time, wiping out smaller, traditional farms, which now account for only a small portion of swine production in Mexico.
"Classic" swine flu virus (not the novel, mutated form in the news) is considered endemic in southern Mexico, while the region around the capital is classified as an "eradication area" - meaning the disease is present, and efforts are underway to control it. For some reason, vaccination of pigs against swine flu is prohibited in this area, and growers rely instead on depopulation and restriction of animal movement when outbreaks occur.
U.S. and Mexican epidemiologists and veterinarians will surely want to take swine samples from Mexican CAFOs and examine them for the newly discovered influenza strain (No one knows exactly how long it has been in circulation). And though it is too early to know if this new virus mutated and incubated on Mexican hog CAFOs, the industrialized facilities unquestionably belong on the list of suspects.
Pigs are nature's notorious "mixing bowls" for inter-species infections, and many swine flu viruses have long contained human influenza genetic components. Then, in the late 1990's - when industrialized swine production really took off in North America - scientists were alarmed to find that avian influenza genetic material was also mixed into the continent's viral soup (see below). Fortunately, it was not the dreaded and lethal H5N1 strain, which most people know of as "bird flu."
So where did this new, virulent and highly infectious influenza emerge from? According to Mexico's Health Minister, Jose Angel Cordova, the virus "mutated from pigs, and then at some point was transmitted to humans." It sure sounds like something happened on some farm, somewhere.
For years, leading scientists around the world have worried that large-scale, indoor swine "factories" would become breeding grounds for new pathogens that could more easily infect humans and then spread out rapidly in the general population - threatening to become a global pandemic.
We know that hog workers in Europe and North America are far more likely than others to be infected with potentially lethal pathogens such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), drug-resistant E. coli and Salmonella, and of course, swine influenza. Many scientists also believe that people who work inside CAFOs are more at risk of contracting and spreading these and other "zoonotic" diseases than those working in smaller-scale operations, with outdoor pens or pasture and far lower animal density.
But until now, hog workers with swine flu have rarely gone on to infect other people, save for close family members. And that is why this new strain of swine influenza virus is so vexing - and alarming. It seems to spread quite easily through casual human contact.
This new strain making headlines and killing people contains genetic components of human flu virus, avian flu virus and - for the first time ever - two types of swine flu virus: American and Eurasian. "Such a combination of components (genes) was not found so far, neither among humans nor among pigs (as far as we know)," CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said in an email.
Nobody yet knows whether the mysterious mixing of two continents' swine flu genes is what made this outbreak so deadly, and so infectious among people, but you can bet that the world's best labs are already on the case. Another possibility is that a new and more aggressive strain of avian influenza got into the new mix as well.
How could this happen? There are several plausible explanations.
A New Avian Component?
Avian influenza viral components can easily mix with swine flu virus to create new bugs - and this can happen on both traditional hog farms and inside CAFOs, scientists say.
Last year, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production issued a lengthy report on factory farming that included research on emerging forms of avian-swine-human influenza viruses. The molecular forensics of rapidly mutating animal pathogens makes epidemiological investigations all the more challenging, it said. "Populations exposed to infectious agents arising in CAFOs are even more difficult to define as some agents - such as a novel avian influenza virus - may be highly transmissible in or well beyond a community setting," the Pew report stated.
The transmission of avian or swine influenza viruses to humans, the report said, (almost wistfully, in retrospect), "seems a rather infrequent event today."
But the commission also issued this grave and perhaps all-too prescient warning:
The continual cycling of swine influenza viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks provides increased opportunity for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission of these viruses. In addition, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities. This bridging increases the risk of novel virus generation in that human viruses may enter the herds or flocks and adapt to the animals.
Reassortant influenza viruses with human components have ravaged the modern swine industry. Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infections, but also potentially increase zoonotic disease transmission risk to the communities where the workers live. For instance, 64% of 63 persons exposed to humans infected with H7N7 avian influenza virus had serological evidence of H7N7 infection following the 2003 Netherlands avian influenza outbreak in poultry. Similarly, the spouses of swine workers who had no direct contact with pigs had increased odds of antibodies against swine influenza virus. Recent modeling work has shown that among communities where a large number of CAFO workers live, there is great potential for these workers to accelerate pandemic influenza virus transmission.
"We met with a team of researchers from the University of Iowa who are studying avian flu, and their real concern was the very scenario that may have happened in Mexico - that avian flu may get into a swine CAFO and rapidly mutate and then get passed to workers, and then on to other people very quickly," Bob Martin, who was executive director of the now-disbanded commission and currently a Senior Officer at the Pew Environmental Group, told me.
"Their concern was that new strains of avian flu combining with swine flu could make the swine flu more deadly," he said. "And because viruses pass so easily between pigs and people, the new avian component could make swine flu more virulent."
Researchers such as Gregory Gray, MD, a University of Iowa professor of international epidemiology and expert in zoonotic infections, warned that CAFO workers could serve as a "bridging population" to rural communities sharing viruses with the pigs, and vice-versa. Other scientists suggested that CAFO workers could theoretically spread disease quickly to great distances. An outbreak of infectious avian flu on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, for example, could reach the Rocky Mountains within 36 hours.
The Iowa team was also worried that CAFO production could lead to another 1918-style global pandemic. One theory behind that calamity is that waterfowl cross-infected U.S. pigs with a new type of avian-swine super-virus that was quickly transmitted to farm workers, possibly in Iowa, who went off to military training camps for WWI, and then spread the pathogen worldwide
"One very big concern was that swine flu mixed with wild bird flu, or bird flu in a chicken CAFO, tended to be ripe for incubating new types of viral infections, especially since the animals are so densely packed together," Bob Martin said.
Hog CAFOs are supposed to be completely closed environments, in order to protect the pigs from outside diseases. Visitors are usually required to shower and don special protective clothing (again, for the animals' benefit) before going inside a confinement.
But these are not hermetically sealed environments, and pathogens can enter and exit a CAFO in a number of ways other than via swine workers (or flies, another proven vector of CAFO diseases).
To begin with, some swine CAFO's recover water from their waste lagoons and recycle it back into the animal housing, in order to wash out the barns while also cutting down on dwindling groundwater supplies (a particular concern in parts of Mexico, to be sure). But wildfowl routinely land in CAFO lagoons, where they can easily shed influenza virus into the water. This can also happen at facilities that use water from nearby ponds or rivers.
Here in the U.S., the National Pork Board had already urged all producers to take a number of steps to reduce the risk of avian-to-swine influenza transmission (A new advisory has also been posted today).
"It is in the best interest of both human public health and animal health that transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to people, from people to pigs, from birds to pigs and from pigs to birds be minimized," says the group's website, Pork.org.
"The global reservoir of influenza viruses in waterfowl, the examples of infection of pigs with waterfowl-origin influenza viruses, the risks for reassortment of avian viruses with swine and/or human influenza viruses in pigs, and the risk for transmission of influenza viruses from pigs to domestic turkeys all indicate that contact between pigs and both wild and domestic fowl should be minimized," the Pork Board says. It then offers some "potentially useful" factors to "reduce transmission of influenza viruses between birds and pigs":
■ Bird-proofing - All doorways, windows and air-flow vents in swine housing units should be adequately sealed or screened to prevent entrance of birds.
■ Water treatment - Do not use untreated surface water as either drinking water or water for cleaning in swine facilities. Likewise, it may be prudent to attempt to minimize waterfowl use of farm lagoons.
■ Separation of pig and bird production - Do not raise pigs and domestic fowl on the same premises.
■ Feed security - Keep pig feed in closed containers to prevent contamination with feces from over-flying waterfowl.
■ Worker biosecurity - Provide boots for workers that are worn only within the pig housing units, thus eliminating.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/swine-flu-outbreak----nat_b_191408.html
Mexican Lawmaker: Factory Farms Are "Breeding Grounds" of Swine Flu Pandemic
David Kirby
Journalist
Posted April 27, 2009 | 01:19 AM (EST)
Large-scale swine producers in Mexico deny that their industry is the source of the deadly new influenza strain, saying the animals are all healthy, and that it is scientifically "not possible" for hogs to infect people with the illness.
But lawmakers in the eastern state of Veracruz are now charging that large-scale hog and poultry operations are "breeding grounds" of infection that are making people sick and fueling the pandemic.
And in the western state of Guerrero, 500 pigs were just killed after becoming ill with swine flu.
Reading the above passage, how is factory farming and the apparent resulting of an outbreak of a swine aviary virus related to a violation of the principle of biodiversity? How is factory farming meat similar to the monoculturization of vegetable and grain crops?
How can the active employment of the principle of biodiversity prevent these types of outbreaks. Hint- see another post I made today regarding the 10 good reasons for biodiversity.
HINT: What is a super bug?
Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/mexican-lawmaker-factory_b_191579.html
Journalist
Posted April 27, 2009 | 01:19 AM (EST)
Large-scale swine producers in Mexico deny that their industry is the source of the deadly new influenza strain, saying the animals are all healthy, and that it is scientifically "not possible" for hogs to infect people with the illness.
But lawmakers in the eastern state of Veracruz are now charging that large-scale hog and poultry operations are "breeding grounds" of infection that are making people sick and fueling the pandemic.
And in the western state of Guerrero, 500 pigs were just killed after becoming ill with swine flu.
Reading the above passage, how is factory farming and the apparent resulting of an outbreak of a swine aviary virus related to a violation of the principle of biodiversity? How is factory farming meat similar to the monoculturization of vegetable and grain crops?
How can the active employment of the principle of biodiversity prevent these types of outbreaks. Hint- see another post I made today regarding the 10 good reasons for biodiversity.
HINT: What is a super bug?
Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/mexican-lawmaker-factory_b_191579.html
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Violation Data Quality Act" ignoring studies confirming the medical safety and efficacy of cannabis.
Americans for Safe Access has filed a petition charging the federal Department of Health and Human Services with violating the "Data Quality Act" by ignoring studies confirming the medical safety and efficacy of cannabis. To publicize the petition -and to protest the pseudo-science that has denied Americans safe access to cannabis all these years- ASA director Steph Sherer and 13 other patients and advocates got arrested Oct. 5 as they tried to enter the HHS office building in Washington. They were wrapped in a huge banner inscribed with the names of 7,000 pro-cannabis doctors (obtained by the Marijuana Policy Project). They chanted "Truth and evidence, cannabis is medicine" and "Schedule One to Schedule Three, cannabis is helping me."
http://www.counterpunch.org/gardner10092004.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/gardner10092004.html
Leave Michelle Obama's organic garden alone
Tell your friends: Pesticide lobbyists should leave Michelle Obama's organic garden alone!
Don't let them get away with it.
Ask your friends to join the campaign to tell pesticide lobbyists to stop spreading propaganda about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House.
In the past few days, tens of thousands of CREDO activists like you have mobilized to tell pesticide lobbyists that their propaganda about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House is unacceptable. It's truly amazing how many of you have taken up this fight in such a short time, and we thank you for your activism.
We need your friends to join this campaign so we can ensure the Mid America CropLife Association and the rest of the chemical industry know that it hurts America when they suggest we can't garden organically, sustainably, and without their chemicals.
Click here to send a note to your friends to tell them what the pesticide lobbyists said about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House.
You can also forward the sample message below to your friends.
Thank you for working to build a better world.
Kate Stayman-London, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets
P.S. CREDO is the phone company that fights for the environment and prints all of its bills on recycled paper. When you join CREDO, we'll give you a free phone, buy out your contract*, and give you $10 off your bill for a year! Click here to get the details.
*Up to $200. Offer valid with 2-year contract after credit approval.
Sample message to send to your friends:
Subject: Tell Pesticide Peddlers: We support Michelle Obama's organic garden.
Dear Friend,
The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) has a bone to pick with Michelle Obama. MACA represents chemical companies that produce pesticides, and they are angry that — wait for it — Michelle Obama isn't using chemicals in her organic garden at the White House.
I am not making this up.
In an email they forwarded to their supporters, a MACA spokesman wrote, "While a garden is a great idea, the thought of it being organic made [us] shudder." MACA went on to publish a letter it had sent to the First Lady asking her to consider using chemicals — or what they call "crop protection products" — in her garden.
I just signed a petition telling MACA's board members to stop using Michelle Obama's garden to spread propaganda about produce needing to be sprayed with chemicals. I hope you will, too.
Please have a look and take action.
http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=3305&id=3482-1817417-EWkLp6x&t=15
Thanks!
Don't let them get away with it.
Ask your friends to join the campaign to tell pesticide lobbyists to stop spreading propaganda about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House.
In the past few days, tens of thousands of CREDO activists like you have mobilized to tell pesticide lobbyists that their propaganda about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House is unacceptable. It's truly amazing how many of you have taken up this fight in such a short time, and we thank you for your activism.
We need your friends to join this campaign so we can ensure the Mid America CropLife Association and the rest of the chemical industry know that it hurts America when they suggest we can't garden organically, sustainably, and without their chemicals.
Click here to send a note to your friends to tell them what the pesticide lobbyists said about Michelle Obama's organic garden at the White House.
You can also forward the sample message below to your friends.
Thank you for working to build a better world.
Kate Stayman-London, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets
P.S. CREDO is the phone company that fights for the environment and prints all of its bills on recycled paper. When you join CREDO, we'll give you a free phone, buy out your contract*, and give you $10 off your bill for a year! Click here to get the details.
*Up to $200. Offer valid with 2-year contract after credit approval.
Sample message to send to your friends:
Subject: Tell Pesticide Peddlers: We support Michelle Obama's organic garden.
Dear Friend,
The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) has a bone to pick with Michelle Obama. MACA represents chemical companies that produce pesticides, and they are angry that — wait for it — Michelle Obama isn't using chemicals in her organic garden at the White House.
I am not making this up.
In an email they forwarded to their supporters, a MACA spokesman wrote, "While a garden is a great idea, the thought of it being organic made [us] shudder." MACA went on to publish a letter it had sent to the First Lady asking her to consider using chemicals — or what they call "crop protection products" — in her garden.
I just signed a petition telling MACA's board members to stop using Michelle Obama's garden to spread propaganda about produce needing to be sprayed with chemicals. I hope you will, too.
Please have a look and take action.
http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=3305&id=3482-1817417-EWkLp6x&t=15
Thanks!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
SAC Natural Foods Cooperative: Take Action: Sample Letter
Dear _____________________________,
(Congressperson)
I am writing in regards to the food safety bills that have been proposed in Congress, including the FDA Globalization Act (HR 759), the Food Safety Modernization act (HR 875), and the Safe FEAST Act (HR 1332). It is my understanding that HR 759 will be given priority, with pieces from the other food safety bills incorporated into it.
All three bills contain elements that focus on prevention of food safety outbreaks at the farm. While I appreciate this focus on preventing food safety problems, I am concerned that one-size-fits-all food safety measures, especially preventative measures created with larger farms in mind, will likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage.
Smaller, local, and organic farms are part of the answer not part of the problem and need to be nurtured. These farms tend to be hands-on, owner-managed. And it should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk.
As you and your colleagues work toward final legislation, I urge you to include language in the bill that makes clear the intent of Congress that new regulations should in no way disproportionately burden small-scale family farm producers that are the backbone of the local and organic food movement.
A one-size-fits-all regulatory approach could irreparably damage the farms producing the highest quality food in our nation.
New regulations should focus on the root causes of major food contamination episodes. Raising animals on massive scale—industrialized confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)—gives rise to serious food safety hazards from improper manure handling that spreads E. coli, salmonella, and other contaminants to surrounding waters and lands. This is one root cause that should be a focus of new food safety regulations.
Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutritious foods first have to be contaminated!
Food safety reforms that I would like to see in the final legislation include:
1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. HR 759 proposes to regulate only fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the sources of potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.” Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of industrialized, centralized agriculture and food processing as serious health threats.
2. HR 759 should establish categories for food (processing) facilities to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by one-size-fits-all registration fees.
3. The final bill should also determine categories for “food production facilities” (farms) — based on level of risk. These categories should differentiate between farms based on criteria including size and organic certification. A certified small-scale organic farm, as an example, selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or through farmers markets or roadside stands should be regulated differently from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national market.
4. Also, some small-scale farmers, including members of the Amish community, will find mandatory electronic record keeping requirements onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to scale.
5. At least one other separate piece of legislation, HR 814, would require a mandatory animal identification system (NAIS). Since the majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing, distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited utility in requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to animal health concerns, not human health). Since NAIS has caused a maelstrom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety legislation.
6. Most importantly, the final bill needs to state clearly that food safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They already have a plan for their farm—an “organic system management plan.” The bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.
Thank you for considering my concerns,
Signature
Name
Address
(Congressperson)
I am writing in regards to the food safety bills that have been proposed in Congress, including the FDA Globalization Act (HR 759), the Food Safety Modernization act (HR 875), and the Safe FEAST Act (HR 1332). It is my understanding that HR 759 will be given priority, with pieces from the other food safety bills incorporated into it.
All three bills contain elements that focus on prevention of food safety outbreaks at the farm. While I appreciate this focus on preventing food safety problems, I am concerned that one-size-fits-all food safety measures, especially preventative measures created with larger farms in mind, will likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage.
Smaller, local, and organic farms are part of the answer not part of the problem and need to be nurtured. These farms tend to be hands-on, owner-managed. And it should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk.
As you and your colleagues work toward final legislation, I urge you to include language in the bill that makes clear the intent of Congress that new regulations should in no way disproportionately burden small-scale family farm producers that are the backbone of the local and organic food movement.
A one-size-fits-all regulatory approach could irreparably damage the farms producing the highest quality food in our nation.
New regulations should focus on the root causes of major food contamination episodes. Raising animals on massive scale—industrialized confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)—gives rise to serious food safety hazards from improper manure handling that spreads E. coli, salmonella, and other contaminants to surrounding waters and lands. This is one root cause that should be a focus of new food safety regulations.
Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutritious foods first have to be contaminated!
Food safety reforms that I would like to see in the final legislation include:
1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. HR 759 proposes to regulate only fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the sources of potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.” Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of industrialized, centralized agriculture and food processing as serious health threats.
2. HR 759 should establish categories for food (processing) facilities to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by one-size-fits-all registration fees.
3. The final bill should also determine categories for “food production facilities” (farms) — based on level of risk. These categories should differentiate between farms based on criteria including size and organic certification. A certified small-scale organic farm, as an example, selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or through farmers markets or roadside stands should be regulated differently from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national market.
4. Also, some small-scale farmers, including members of the Amish community, will find mandatory electronic record keeping requirements onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to scale.
5. At least one other separate piece of legislation, HR 814, would require a mandatory animal identification system (NAIS). Since the majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing, distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited utility in requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to animal health concerns, not human health). Since NAIS has caused a maelstrom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety legislation.
6. Most importantly, the final bill needs to state clearly that food safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They already have a plan for their farm—an “organic system management plan.” The bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.
Thank you for considering my concerns,
Signature
Name
Address
Sacramento Natural Foods Coop Take
Information about HR 875 – The Food Safety Modernization Act
Momentum is building in Congress for new food safety reforms aimed at addressing the growing cycle of food contamination outbreaks. But concerns are also being raised cautioning legislators not to trample organic farmers, backyard gardeners, and consumers of fresh local foods in the rush to fix the nation’s food safety problems.
In the last several years, contamination of bagged spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, beef, and peanuts have sickened thousands of Americans. And currently a massive recall of food products containing pistachios is underway.
After years of industry-friendly regulations and deteriorating budgets for inspections, holes in the food safety net have prompted some in Congress to push for new laws and increased oversight.
The legislative process, however, has sparked a flurry of internet and email activity, with some warning the agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation outlawing organic farming and home gardens. One of the pending bills, The Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875), sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), has been a lightning rod for criticism, but there is a lot of misinformation about the bill circulating over the internet.
As a result of the blowback Congresswoman DeLauro is scrambling to assure organic advocates that they are not the target of her bill: “The purpose of this bill is to improve the safety of food products derived from large industrial processing facilities by increasing the inspection frequency and safety standards at these plants.”
Here are a few things that H.R. 875 DOES do:
• It addresses the most critical flaw in the structure of FDA by splitting it into 2 new agencies –one devoted to food safety and the other devoted to drugs and medical devices.
• It increases inspection of food processing plants, basing the frequency of inspection on the risk of the product being produced – but it does NOT make plants pay any registration fees or user fees.
• It does extend food safety agency authority to food production on farms, requiring farms to write a food safety plan and consider the critical points on that farm where food safety problems are likely to occur.
• It requires imported food to meet the same standards as food produced in the U.S.
And just as importantly, here are a few things that H.R. 875 does NOT do:
• It does not cover foods regulated by the USDA (beef, pork, poultry, lamb, catfish.)
• It does not establish a mandatory animal identification system.
• It does not regulate backyard gardens.
• It does not regulate seed.
• It does not call for new regulations for farmers markets or direct marketing arrangements.
• It does not apply to food that does not enter interstate commerce (food that is sold across state lines).
It does not mandate any specific type of traceability for FDA-regulated foods (the bill does instruct a new food safety agency to improve traceability of foods, but specifically says that recordkeeping can be done electronically or on paper).
While some of the nation’s food safety issues have farm origins – largely due to the inability of huge industrialized conventional livestock facilities to properly manage their mountains of manure, contaminated with lethal pathogens – many E. coli and salmonella outbreaks originate at processing facilities. This year’s outbreak of salmonella in peanut products has been traced to unsanitary conditions at a massive processing plant. And now, the FDA has issued a warning about contaminated pistachios, which appear to have also been tainted during the processing or storage of the nuts or finished processed food products.
“We don’t want organic family farmers to be made scapegoats and lose their markets because of objectionable food treatment practices or recalls put in place due to sloppy practices at giant food processing facilities,” said Dr. Jesse Schwartz, the President of Living Tree Community Foods, a manufacturer of organic nut butters. “The health and well-being of America, its people, and the American land depend upon the stewardship of family farmers who are the true husbandmen of their soil, plants, and animals.”
The Cornucopia Institute is calling on farmers and consumers to stand up for and protect organic and sustainable local farmers. “Organic, local producers of high quality foods are part of our nation’s food safety solution–not part of the problem,” said Fantle.
The food safety bills currently before Congress will not criminalize organic farms, but they could do more to protect them. Ask your Congressperson to help support organic farmers and not burden them with excessive regulations. Sample letters are available at the Co-op’s Customer Service Desk. Find your Congressperson’s contact info at www.govtrack.us.
For more information on this issue, visit:
www.cornucopia.org
www.foodandwaterwatch.org
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875
This information was taken from the Cornucopia Institute and Food and Water Watch.
Momentum is building in Congress for new food safety reforms aimed at addressing the growing cycle of food contamination outbreaks. But concerns are also being raised cautioning legislators not to trample organic farmers, backyard gardeners, and consumers of fresh local foods in the rush to fix the nation’s food safety problems.
In the last several years, contamination of bagged spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, beef, and peanuts have sickened thousands of Americans. And currently a massive recall of food products containing pistachios is underway.
After years of industry-friendly regulations and deteriorating budgets for inspections, holes in the food safety net have prompted some in Congress to push for new laws and increased oversight.
The legislative process, however, has sparked a flurry of internet and email activity, with some warning the agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation outlawing organic farming and home gardens. One of the pending bills, The Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875), sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), has been a lightning rod for criticism, but there is a lot of misinformation about the bill circulating over the internet.
As a result of the blowback Congresswoman DeLauro is scrambling to assure organic advocates that they are not the target of her bill: “The purpose of this bill is to improve the safety of food products derived from large industrial processing facilities by increasing the inspection frequency and safety standards at these plants.”
Here are a few things that H.R. 875 DOES do:
• It addresses the most critical flaw in the structure of FDA by splitting it into 2 new agencies –one devoted to food safety and the other devoted to drugs and medical devices.
• It increases inspection of food processing plants, basing the frequency of inspection on the risk of the product being produced – but it does NOT make plants pay any registration fees or user fees.
• It does extend food safety agency authority to food production on farms, requiring farms to write a food safety plan and consider the critical points on that farm where food safety problems are likely to occur.
• It requires imported food to meet the same standards as food produced in the U.S.
And just as importantly, here are a few things that H.R. 875 does NOT do:
• It does not cover foods regulated by the USDA (beef, pork, poultry, lamb, catfish.)
• It does not establish a mandatory animal identification system.
• It does not regulate backyard gardens.
• It does not regulate seed.
• It does not call for new regulations for farmers markets or direct marketing arrangements.
• It does not apply to food that does not enter interstate commerce (food that is sold across state lines).
It does not mandate any specific type of traceability for FDA-regulated foods (the bill does instruct a new food safety agency to improve traceability of foods, but specifically says that recordkeeping can be done electronically or on paper).
While some of the nation’s food safety issues have farm origins – largely due to the inability of huge industrialized conventional livestock facilities to properly manage their mountains of manure, contaminated with lethal pathogens – many E. coli and salmonella outbreaks originate at processing facilities. This year’s outbreak of salmonella in peanut products has been traced to unsanitary conditions at a massive processing plant. And now, the FDA has issued a warning about contaminated pistachios, which appear to have also been tainted during the processing or storage of the nuts or finished processed food products.
“We don’t want organic family farmers to be made scapegoats and lose their markets because of objectionable food treatment practices or recalls put in place due to sloppy practices at giant food processing facilities,” said Dr. Jesse Schwartz, the President of Living Tree Community Foods, a manufacturer of organic nut butters. “The health and well-being of America, its people, and the American land depend upon the stewardship of family farmers who are the true husbandmen of their soil, plants, and animals.”
The Cornucopia Institute is calling on farmers and consumers to stand up for and protect organic and sustainable local farmers. “Organic, local producers of high quality foods are part of our nation’s food safety solution–not part of the problem,” said Fantle.
The food safety bills currently before Congress will not criminalize organic farms, but they could do more to protect them. Ask your Congressperson to help support organic farmers and not burden them with excessive regulations. Sample letters are available at the Co-op’s Customer Service Desk. Find your Congressperson’s contact info at www.govtrack.us.
For more information on this issue, visit:
www.cornucopia.org
www.foodandwaterwatch.org
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875
This information was taken from the Cornucopia Institute and Food and Water Watch.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Can we just print our cash as new currency?
By Marisol Bello, USA TODAY
A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money.
Borrowing from a Depression-era idea, they are aiming to help consumers make ends meet and support struggling local businesses.
See rest of the article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-04-05-scrip_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
A small but growing number of cash-strapped communities are printing their own money.
Borrowing from a Depression-era idea, they are aiming to help consumers make ends meet and support struggling local businesses.
See rest of the article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-04-05-scrip_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
20,000 entrepreneurs building the new economy
The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) brings together small business leaders, economic development professionals, government officials, social innovators, and community leaders to build local living economies. We provide local, state, national, and international resources to this new model of economic development.
We´re showing that independent locally owned businesses can go beyond traditional measures of success. We're proving that these businesses are accountable to stakeholders and the environment. We're helping these businesses flourish in their local economies. And we're leveraging the power of local networks to build a web of economies that are community-based, green, and fair - local living economies.
http://www.livingeconomies.org/
The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) brings together small business leaders, economic development professionals, government officials, social innovators, and community leaders to build local living economies. We provide local, state, national, and international resources to this new model of economic development.
We´re showing that independent locally owned businesses can go beyond traditional measures of success. We're proving that these businesses are accountable to stakeholders and the environment. We're helping these businesses flourish in their local economies. And we're leveraging the power of local networks to build a web of economies that are community-based, green, and fair - local living economies.
http://www.livingeconomies.org/
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Does De Lauro eat organic?
Per an April 1st letter put out by De Lauro denying her bills would injure Organic Farming- for which I have tried to post here but due to formatting issues cannot; but will be glad to forward to you if you leave me your email, it would seem the certification agencies as CCOF, and OTA are thinking 'no biggy.' However, I would sincerely like to know if Ms. De Lauro eats organic food and how else she can demonstrate she has supported organic food and farming in the past. It's only an intellectual and honest curiosity.
I am also questioning the other bills Organic Sacramento's action letter as well as the good points made in the Cornucopia call to action letter. We must not lay docile. Too much is at stake. This is not just our food, but our health and our sovereignty.
We have seen laws pass for which make companies like Monsanto bigger and bigger and bigger and now if you have not read the call to action by Food Democracy posted this blog- Taylor and Olmstead from Monsanto may be given places in the Whitehouse and almost no urgency to action is being had to stop this.
First Lady Michelle Obama hires an organic chef for their own family and has planted the vegetable garden at the Whitehouse because simply, "food from the garden tastes better."
Yet, we know the issue is deeper and hopefully The First Lady understands what most people cannot, as thinking beyond their plates does not see the entire issue: prosperity over poverty, bliss in a well funded class of customers over slavery, the vital importance of biodiversity over destructive mono culture and the loss of the soil...the things Willy Nelson says in another post I will make soon.
I am also questioning the other bills Organic Sacramento's action letter as well as the good points made in the Cornucopia call to action letter. We must not lay docile. Too much is at stake. This is not just our food, but our health and our sovereignty.
We have seen laws pass for which make companies like Monsanto bigger and bigger and bigger and now if you have not read the call to action by Food Democracy posted this blog- Taylor and Olmstead from Monsanto may be given places in the Whitehouse and almost no urgency to action is being had to stop this.
First Lady Michelle Obama hires an organic chef for their own family and has planted the vegetable garden at the Whitehouse because simply, "food from the garden tastes better."
Yet, we know the issue is deeper and hopefully The First Lady understands what most people cannot, as thinking beyond their plates does not see the entire issue: prosperity over poverty, bliss in a well funded class of customers over slavery, the vital importance of biodiversity over destructive mono culture and the loss of the soil...the things Willy Nelson says in another post I will make soon.
Organic Trade Organization Steps Up
Dear All:
Working closely with her office regarding the internet hysteria surrounding
food safety legislation and following visits during our Policy Conference,
Congresswoman DeLauro today issued a Dear Colleague letter referencing OTA
and stressing her support for the organic industry. An amazingly strong
endorsement from a member of Congress. We have expressed our appreciation to
her.
Feel free to share this information.
Best,
Christine
Christine Bushway
Executive Director
Organic Trade Association
413-376-1233
Working closely with her office regarding the internet hysteria surrounding
food safety legislation and following visits during our Policy Conference,
Congresswoman DeLauro today issued a Dear Colleague letter referencing OTA
and stressing her support for the organic industry. An amazingly strong
endorsement from a member of Congress. We have expressed our appreciation to
her.
Feel free to share this information.
Best,
Christine
Christine Bushway
Executive Director
Organic Trade Association
413-376-1233
Cannibus Ceases Tumors Study
Thom Hartmann spoke about this study on April 3rd show 2009 look at this journal study:
J. Clin. Invest. doi:10.1172/JCI37948.
Copyright © 2009, The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Research Article
Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells-
in other words, cannibus can shrink tumors and ceased tumors in two humans this study.
J. Clin. Invest. doi:10.1172/JCI37948.
Copyright © 2009, The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Research Article
Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells-
in other words, cannibus can shrink tumors and ceased tumors in two humans this study.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Organic Sacramento Asks You to Take Action
-- Action Alert --
Could “Food Safety” Bills Impact Your Access to Local and Organic Food?
Did you know Congress is considering legislation that could:
• Put small farmers out of business?
• Strictly regulate and enforce how food is grown?
• Mandate animal and food identification systems?
• Create a federal registry of all U.S. food production facilities?
• Threaten our access to organic food?
Under the auspices of “food safety,” six bills currently in Congress seek to radically restructure our current food laws by creating an unprecedented massive-scale federal regulatory bureaucracy controlling all U.S. food production, agriculture, manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution. Prioritizing regulatory identification, surveillance monitoring, tracking, traceability, and punitive consequences of animal and plant food production over food safety education and standards, HR 875, HR 759, HR 814, HR 1332, SB 425, and SB 510, will mandate federal jurisdiction over the entire U.S. food system.
Additionally, these “one-size-fits-all” regulations will benefit the largest industrialized agribusiness operations, while severely impacting and putting many small farms and farmers out of business.
What Are These Bills?
• HR 875 Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• HR 759 Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009, John Dingell (D-MI)
• HR 814 Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Everywhere Act
• SB 425 Food Safety and Track Improvement Act
• SB 510 Food Safety Modernization Act
• HR 1332 Safe FEAST Act of 2009, Jim Costa (D-CA)
See reverse for details on four of the bills, or go to www.govtrack.us (plus bill number) for full bill text.
We Need Your Help - Take Action Now!
1. Learn about the specifics of these bills and alert your family and friends of the dangers.
2. Contact your Congressperson, Senators, specific bill sponsors (above), and Henry Waxman, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce at (202) 224-3121.
• Express your concern about these overreaching legislative attempts to control our food and ask them to read the legislation in its entirety if they haven’t already.
• Ask how these food safety proposals will impact the conservation, organic, and sustainable practices that make diversified, organic, and direct market producers different from agribusiness.
3. Alert and mobilize local farmers and food producers to tell them about these bills.
4. Find out who sits on your state’s agriculture and farming committee and contact them about your concerns. (In CA go to www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=53.)
5. Check out: www.cornucopia.org, www.ftcldf.org/index.html, http://sustainableagriculture.net/, www.foodandwaterwatch.org, www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html
“Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.”
- Henry Kissinger, 1970
Proposed “Food Safety” Bills
HR 875 - Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
• Establishes and grants unlimited authority to the “Food Safety Administration (FSA)” under the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This central food regulatory body would have even more unaccountable control than the FDA.
• Eliminates state food sovereignty by transferring all state control over food regulation to the federal FSA and reduces state and local governments to enforcement agents and food police for the federal government. (Section 207)
• Reclassifies all farms as “food production facilities” under the regulatory, inspection, and compliance protocols of the FSA and their undefined “food safety requirements.” (Section 3)
• Allows for violation penalties of up to $1 million dollars and/or ten years in prison.
• Creates such broad-based legislation which is lacking in specific criteria for maintaining “food safety,” that potentially every aspect of growing or producing food can be made illegal. (S. 206)
• Expands the definition of the word “contaminant” for purposes of widening the scope of what constitutes “adulterated food.” (Section 3)
• Bill was introduced on Feb. 4, 2009 by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), whose husband at one time, as a lobbyist, consulted with Monsanto.
HR 759 - Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009
• Overhauls the entire structure of the FDA.
• Extends traceability record keeping requirements that currently apply only to food processors to farms and restaurants – and requires that record keeping be done electronically.
• Calls for standard lot numbers to be used in food production.
• Instructs FDA to establish production standards for fruits and vegetables as well as “Good Agricultural Practices” for produce. (Sections 104 and 419A)
• Requires food-processing plants to pay a registration fee to FDA to fund the agency’s inspection efforts.
HR 814 - Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Everywhere Act
• Calls for a mandatory food identification system. “Shall require each article of food shipped in interstate commerce to be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary to retrieve the history, use, and location of the article [food] through a record keeping and audit system or registered identification.” (Section 414A[b])
• Establishes a traceabiliity system “for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution of food.” (Section 414A)
• Calls for a mandatory animal identification system, including cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and poultry, etc. (Section 26[b][1])
• Requires traceability of “each animal to any premises or other location at which the animal was held at any time before slaughter.” (Section 26[a][A])
• Requires traceability of each animal product “forward from slaughter and distribution to the ultimate consumer.” (Section 26[a][B])
S 425 - Food Safety and Track Improvement Act
• Establish a traceability system “for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution of food.” (Section 414A [a])
• Requires “each article of food shipped in interstate commerce to be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary to retrieve the history, use, and location of the article through a record keeping and audit system, a secure, online database, or registered identification.” (Sec 414A)
• Legislation mandates electronic record keeping.
Organic Sacramento, March 22, 2009
Could “Food Safety” Bills Impact Your Access to Local and Organic Food?
Did you know Congress is considering legislation that could:
• Put small farmers out of business?
• Strictly regulate and enforce how food is grown?
• Mandate animal and food identification systems?
• Create a federal registry of all U.S. food production facilities?
• Threaten our access to organic food?
Under the auspices of “food safety,” six bills currently in Congress seek to radically restructure our current food laws by creating an unprecedented massive-scale federal regulatory bureaucracy controlling all U.S. food production, agriculture, manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution. Prioritizing regulatory identification, surveillance monitoring, tracking, traceability, and punitive consequences of animal and plant food production over food safety education and standards, HR 875, HR 759, HR 814, HR 1332, SB 425, and SB 510, will mandate federal jurisdiction over the entire U.S. food system.
Additionally, these “one-size-fits-all” regulations will benefit the largest industrialized agribusiness operations, while severely impacting and putting many small farms and farmers out of business.
What Are These Bills?
• HR 875 Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• HR 759 Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009, John Dingell (D-MI)
• HR 814 Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Everywhere Act
• SB 425 Food Safety and Track Improvement Act
• SB 510 Food Safety Modernization Act
• HR 1332 Safe FEAST Act of 2009, Jim Costa (D-CA)
See reverse for details on four of the bills, or go to www.govtrack.us (plus bill number) for full bill text.
We Need Your Help - Take Action Now!
1. Learn about the specifics of these bills and alert your family and friends of the dangers.
2. Contact your Congressperson, Senators, specific bill sponsors (above), and Henry Waxman, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce at (202) 224-3121.
• Express your concern about these overreaching legislative attempts to control our food and ask them to read the legislation in its entirety if they haven’t already.
• Ask how these food safety proposals will impact the conservation, organic, and sustainable practices that make diversified, organic, and direct market producers different from agribusiness.
3. Alert and mobilize local farmers and food producers to tell them about these bills.
4. Find out who sits on your state’s agriculture and farming committee and contact them about your concerns. (In CA go to www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=53.)
5. Check out: www.cornucopia.org, www.ftcldf.org/index.html, http://sustainableagriculture.net/, www.foodandwaterwatch.org, www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html
“Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.”
- Henry Kissinger, 1970
Proposed “Food Safety” Bills
HR 875 - Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
• Establishes and grants unlimited authority to the “Food Safety Administration (FSA)” under the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This central food regulatory body would have even more unaccountable control than the FDA.
• Eliminates state food sovereignty by transferring all state control over food regulation to the federal FSA and reduces state and local governments to enforcement agents and food police for the federal government. (Section 207)
• Reclassifies all farms as “food production facilities” under the regulatory, inspection, and compliance protocols of the FSA and their undefined “food safety requirements.” (Section 3)
• Allows for violation penalties of up to $1 million dollars and/or ten years in prison.
• Creates such broad-based legislation which is lacking in specific criteria for maintaining “food safety,” that potentially every aspect of growing or producing food can be made illegal. (S. 206)
• Expands the definition of the word “contaminant” for purposes of widening the scope of what constitutes “adulterated food.” (Section 3)
• Bill was introduced on Feb. 4, 2009 by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), whose husband at one time, as a lobbyist, consulted with Monsanto.
HR 759 - Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009
• Overhauls the entire structure of the FDA.
• Extends traceability record keeping requirements that currently apply only to food processors to farms and restaurants – and requires that record keeping be done electronically.
• Calls for standard lot numbers to be used in food production.
• Instructs FDA to establish production standards for fruits and vegetables as well as “Good Agricultural Practices” for produce. (Sections 104 and 419A)
• Requires food-processing plants to pay a registration fee to FDA to fund the agency’s inspection efforts.
HR 814 - Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Everywhere Act
• Calls for a mandatory food identification system. “Shall require each article of food shipped in interstate commerce to be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary to retrieve the history, use, and location of the article [food] through a record keeping and audit system or registered identification.” (Section 414A[b])
• Establishes a traceabiliity system “for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution of food.” (Section 414A)
• Calls for a mandatory animal identification system, including cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and poultry, etc. (Section 26[b][1])
• Requires traceability of “each animal to any premises or other location at which the animal was held at any time before slaughter.” (Section 26[a][A])
• Requires traceability of each animal product “forward from slaughter and distribution to the ultimate consumer.” (Section 26[a][B])
S 425 - Food Safety and Track Improvement Act
• Establish a traceability system “for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution of food.” (Section 414A [a])
• Requires “each article of food shipped in interstate commerce to be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary to retrieve the history, use, and location of the article through a record keeping and audit system, a secure, online database, or registered identification.” (Sec 414A)
• Legislation mandates electronic record keeping.
Organic Sacramento, March 22, 2009
Cornucopia Institute Perspective
From Claudia Reid, CCOF
Below is information from Cornucopia Institute4/1/09
Thank you all for your enquiries about HR 875 and related legislation. Thanks to you that have called me personally for listening to my rather skeptical approach to this legislation! As I said, I don’t know all the answers but I do try to find credible, rational organizations who are based in DC to help me understand the chaotic information that is out there right now. One of those is the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (see link below). Cornucopia Institute can sometimes bother me but for now, their recent article on the food safety issue has some fairly good guidance.
Bottom line for CCOF is that we will focus on the legislative process, not the blog or internet communication process. We will stay connected with organizations that do this for a living and whose mission and values align with ours, and when they ask us to send an email/fax or to call our elected officials, we will follow their lead.
I hope this is useful and informative.
Claudia Reid
Policy and Program Director
CCOF -- Organic Certification
1755 5th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone 916-443-6480
Fax 831-423-4528
www.ccof.org
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is the best placed national organization on whom to focus grassroots energy into a coherent campaign to defend the interests of small-scale producers against onerous, indiscriminate regulation as we achieve a greater degree of food safety in this country. Please consider making a financial contribution to NSAC at
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=27558
and tell NSAC to take a comprehensive approach when addressing food safety issues that affect the sustainable ag community.
The Cornucopia Institute, a vocal watchdog of integrity in the organic sector, also has a big role to play. This action alert (below) is an important link in the chain. It begins the process of suggesting specific "talking points" regarding proposed food safety legislation. Washington State residents take note that Rep. Jim McDermott is a co-sponsor of HR 875. Oregon residents take note that Rep. Peter DeFazio is a co-sponsor of HR 875 and Rep. Greg Walden is a co-sponsor of HR 1332. These folks need to hear from consituents on this. You can support the Cornucopia Institute HERE.
Chrys
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:30:46 -0500
From: Will Fantle
Subject: [ODAIRY] ACTION ALERT: A Tempest in a Teapot! Food Safety Reform and Protecting Organic Farmers
Action Alert
Critical Pending Food Safety Legislation:
Supporting Viable Federal Oversight over Corporate Agribusiness
We Must Tell Congress to also Protect High Quality Organic and Local Food
1.HR 875: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
2.HR 759: The Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009
3.HR 1332: Safe FEAST Act of 2009
The blogosphere has sounded the alarm warning that Congress and agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation that will force organic and local farms, and even home gardeners, out of business. What are the threats and opportunities, and how should we gear up to communicate with our congressional representatives?
A Food Safety System That Is Out Of Control
There is no question that our increasingly industrialized and concentrated food production system needs a new regulatory focus. Contamination of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts and other foods are an indictment of a food safety system that is out of control and has become dominated by corporate agribusiness and powerful insider lobbyists. Regulators at the FDA, USDA and other agencies have fallen short in their public safety responsibilities.
The public outcry over this situation has finally led some in Congress to propose remedies¬and we should support strict oversight of the runaway industrial farming and food production system that is responsible for illnesses and deaths among our citizenry.
Although stakeholders in the organic community need to be on-guard, the flurry of e-mails and Internet postings suggesting that HR 875 will end organic farming as we know it seem to grossly exaggerate the risks. Here's what we know:
Some level of reform is coming and we must work diligently to make sure that any changes do not harm or competitively disadvantage organic and local family farm producers and processors who are providing the fresh, wholesome and authentic food for which consumers are increasingly hungry.
Several bills aimed at fixing the broken food safety system have been proposed. Of these bills, the FDA Globalization Act (HR 759) appears most likely to be voted on, with elements of the other bills, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875) and the Safe FEAST Act (HR 1332) possibly incorporated into the bill. A vote on a final bill shortly before Memorial Day is likely.
All three bills would require new food safety rules for farms and food processing businesses. Therefore, as with most legislation, the real battle will be in the rule-making process that follows the passage of the bill. We must stay engaged.
A Tempest in a Teapot
Anyone with an interest in food safety issues has probably seen or received emails charging that backyard gardens and organic farming would be outlawed by new food safety laws. We have closely read the proposed legislation, done extensive background research, and talked with the chief staff member responsible for the drafting of HR 875. Some have argued that this is a conspiracy promulgated by Monsanto and other corporate interests in conventional agriculture. It is our conclusion that none of these bills would “outlaw organic farming.” Other groups, such as Food and Water Watch and the organic certification agent CCOF have reached similar conclusions. But as we just noted, we need to be engaged in this process to protect organic and family farmer interests.
Also, concerns have been raised that these new laws don’t examine meat safety concerns. The USDA is responsible for much of the nation’s meat safety regulations. It does not appear that Congress, at this time, is prepared to address deficiencies involving meat.
Dingell Bill Has Momentum in the House
HR 759, authored by John Dingell (D-MI), the House's most senior member, is the bill that will be given priority by the House as they weigh food safety legislation. It proposes that all food processing facilities register with the FDA and pay annual fees, evaluate hazards and implement preventive controls of these hazards, monitor these controls and keep extensive records.
HR 759 would give authority to the FDA to establish "science-based" minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. These food safety standards would address manure use, water quality, employee hygiene, sanitation and animal control, temperature controls, and nutrients on the farm.
Such one-size-fits-all food safety rules, especially preventative measures, created with industrial-scale farms and processors in mind, would likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage. A similar voluntary set of regulations in California have damaged the environment and hurt organic and fresh produce growers.
These high-quality, owner-operated, and often "local" farms are an important part of the solution to our nation's food quality problems¬not the cause¬and they must be protected!
Protecting the Nation's Farming Heroes
It should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are already highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk. Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutritious foods pose a risk only after they are contaminated, which is why new food safety legislation must address the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
Whatever the final legislation looks like, it must make clear that it is the intent of Congress to ensure that ensuing regulations will not disproportionately burden small-scale family farm producers and farmstead businesses that are the backbone of the local, sustainable and organic food movement.
Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!
We must tell Congress to protect high quality organic and local food production
Please contact the following representatives to urge them to support legislation that will protect organic and small-scale family farmers while strengthening food safety. For a sample letter you can personalize and edit to send to your elected officials, click here.
1. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce¬send a message through the Committee website at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/
1. John Dingell (D-MI), the sponsor of HR759
2. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the sponsor of HR 875
3. Jim Costa (D-CA), the sponsor of HR 1332
ΓΌ Please contact your own district’s representative, especially if he or she is a cosponsor of one of the food safety bills (see below for a list of cosponsors)
Tell them other elements that must be included in new food safety legislation include:
1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. HR 759 proposes to regulate only fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the sources of potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.” Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of industrialized/centralized agriculture and food processing as serious health threats.
2. HR 759 should establish categories for food (processing) facilities to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by one-size-fits-all registration fees.
3. The final bill should also determine categories for “food production facilities” (farms) ¬ based on level of risk. These categories should differentiate between farms based on criteria including size and organic certification. A certified small-scale organic farm, as an example, selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or through farmers markets or roadside stands should be regulated differently from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national market.
4. Also, some small-scale farmers, including members of the Amish community, will find mandatory electronic record keeping requirements onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to scale.
5. At least one other separate piece of legislation, HR 814, would require a mandatory animal identification system (NAIS). Since the majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing, distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited utility in requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to animal health concerns, not human health). Since NAIS has caused a maelstrom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety legislation.
6. Most importantly, the final bill needs to state clearly that food safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They already have a plan for their farm¬an “organic system management plan.” The bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.
We urge you to contact Congressional leadership, and your own representative and senators, to make sure that the highest quality farmers in this country are not run over by juggernauts in Washington in their attempt to address the filthy industrialized food system that has sickened so many!
To locate your representatives in Congress, and send them a message through their website, click on this link:
1. http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/
Or you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your senators' and/or representative's office.
Note: it is especially important for you to contact your Congressional representative if they are a cosponsor of the proposed legislation. For a sample letter you can personalize and edit to send to your elected officials, click here.
Cosponsors of HR 759 include:
Representatives Donna Christensen (VI), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Frank Pallone (NJ), Gary Peters (MI), John Sarbanes (MD), Bart Stupak (MI), Betty Sutton (OH)
Cosponsors of HR 875 include:
Representatives Shelley Berkley (NV), Sanford Bishop (GA), Timothy Bishop (NY), Andre Carson (IN), Kathy Castor (FL), Joe Courtney (CT), Peter DeFazio (OR), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Anna Eshoo (CA), Sam Farr (CA), Bob Filner (CA), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), Rual Grijalva (AZ), John Hall (NY), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Mazie Hirono (HI), Eddie Johnson (TX), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Barbara Lee (CA), Nita Lowey (NY), Betty McCollum (MN), Jim McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), Gwen Moor (WI), Christopher Murphy (CT), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Chellie Pingree (ME), C.A. Ruppersberger (MD), Tim Ryan (OH), Linda Sanchez (CA), Janice Schakowsky (IL), Mark Schauer (MI), Louise Slaughter (NY), Pete Stark (CA), Betty Sutton (OH), John Tierney (MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Robert Wexler (FL).
Cosponsors of HR 1332 include:
Representatives John Adler (NJ), Joe Baca (CA), Joe Barton (TX), Leonard Boswell (IA), Michael Burgess (TX), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Yvette Clarke (NY), Henry Cuellar (TX), Lincoln Davis (TN), Nathan Deal (GA), Eliot Engel (NY), Sam Farr (CA), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Steve Kagan (WI), Collin Peterson (MN), Joseph Pitts (PA), Adam Putnam (FL), George Radanovich (CA), Charles Rangel (NY), Thomas Rooney (FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), John Salazar (CO), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Shimkus (IL), Lee Terry (NE), Mike Thompson (CA), Greg Walden (OR).
Will Fantle
The Cornucopia Institute
715-839-7731
www.cornucopia.org
George Davis wrote:
I have uploaded 3 files to our group: 1) WildFarm Alliances' Food Safety Destruction illustrated paper, 2) Michael Pollans article on food safety excesses and 3) High Country News Story "Fields of OverKill". The three articles can be useful references for educating people about environmental problems caused by inappropriate Food Safety protocols.
Basic Stuff.
George Davis
dijon1@sonic.net
Porter Creek Vineyards
707.331.4797 cell
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
Below is information from Cornucopia Institute4/1/09
Thank you all for your enquiries about HR 875 and related legislation. Thanks to you that have called me personally for listening to my rather skeptical approach to this legislation! As I said, I don’t know all the answers but I do try to find credible, rational organizations who are based in DC to help me understand the chaotic information that is out there right now. One of those is the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (see link below). Cornucopia Institute can sometimes bother me but for now, their recent article on the food safety issue has some fairly good guidance.
Bottom line for CCOF is that we will focus on the legislative process, not the blog or internet communication process. We will stay connected with organizations that do this for a living and whose mission and values align with ours, and when they ask us to send an email/fax or to call our elected officials, we will follow their lead.
I hope this is useful and informative.
Claudia Reid
Policy and Program Director
CCOF -- Organic Certification
1755 5th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone 916-443-6480
Fax 831-423-4528
www.ccof.org
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is the best placed national organization on whom to focus grassroots energy into a coherent campaign to defend the interests of small-scale producers against onerous, indiscriminate regulation as we achieve a greater degree of food safety in this country. Please consider making a financial contribution to NSAC at
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=27558
and tell NSAC to take a comprehensive approach when addressing food safety issues that affect the sustainable ag community.
The Cornucopia Institute, a vocal watchdog of integrity in the organic sector, also has a big role to play. This action alert (below) is an important link in the chain. It begins the process of suggesting specific "talking points" regarding proposed food safety legislation. Washington State residents take note that Rep. Jim McDermott is a co-sponsor of HR 875. Oregon residents take note that Rep. Peter DeFazio is a co-sponsor of HR 875 and Rep. Greg Walden is a co-sponsor of HR 1332. These folks need to hear from consituents on this. You can support the Cornucopia Institute HERE.
Chrys
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:30:46 -0500
From: Will Fantle
Subject: [ODAIRY] ACTION ALERT: A Tempest in a Teapot! Food Safety Reform and Protecting Organic Farmers
Action Alert
Critical Pending Food Safety Legislation:
Supporting Viable Federal Oversight over Corporate Agribusiness
We Must Tell Congress to also Protect High Quality Organic and Local Food
1.HR 875: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
2.HR 759: The Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009
3.HR 1332: Safe FEAST Act of 2009
The blogosphere has sounded the alarm warning that Congress and agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation that will force organic and local farms, and even home gardeners, out of business. What are the threats and opportunities, and how should we gear up to communicate with our congressional representatives?
A Food Safety System That Is Out Of Control
There is no question that our increasingly industrialized and concentrated food production system needs a new regulatory focus. Contamination of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts and other foods are an indictment of a food safety system that is out of control and has become dominated by corporate agribusiness and powerful insider lobbyists. Regulators at the FDA, USDA and other agencies have fallen short in their public safety responsibilities.
The public outcry over this situation has finally led some in Congress to propose remedies¬and we should support strict oversight of the runaway industrial farming and food production system that is responsible for illnesses and deaths among our citizenry.
Although stakeholders in the organic community need to be on-guard, the flurry of e-mails and Internet postings suggesting that HR 875 will end organic farming as we know it seem to grossly exaggerate the risks. Here's what we know:
Some level of reform is coming and we must work diligently to make sure that any changes do not harm or competitively disadvantage organic and local family farm producers and processors who are providing the fresh, wholesome and authentic food for which consumers are increasingly hungry.
Several bills aimed at fixing the broken food safety system have been proposed. Of these bills, the FDA Globalization Act (HR 759) appears most likely to be voted on, with elements of the other bills, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875) and the Safe FEAST Act (HR 1332) possibly incorporated into the bill. A vote on a final bill shortly before Memorial Day is likely.
All three bills would require new food safety rules for farms and food processing businesses. Therefore, as with most legislation, the real battle will be in the rule-making process that follows the passage of the bill. We must stay engaged.
A Tempest in a Teapot
Anyone with an interest in food safety issues has probably seen or received emails charging that backyard gardens and organic farming would be outlawed by new food safety laws. We have closely read the proposed legislation, done extensive background research, and talked with the chief staff member responsible for the drafting of HR 875. Some have argued that this is a conspiracy promulgated by Monsanto and other corporate interests in conventional agriculture. It is our conclusion that none of these bills would “outlaw organic farming.” Other groups, such as Food and Water Watch and the organic certification agent CCOF have reached similar conclusions. But as we just noted, we need to be engaged in this process to protect organic and family farmer interests.
Also, concerns have been raised that these new laws don’t examine meat safety concerns. The USDA is responsible for much of the nation’s meat safety regulations. It does not appear that Congress, at this time, is prepared to address deficiencies involving meat.
Dingell Bill Has Momentum in the House
HR 759, authored by John Dingell (D-MI), the House's most senior member, is the bill that will be given priority by the House as they weigh food safety legislation. It proposes that all food processing facilities register with the FDA and pay annual fees, evaluate hazards and implement preventive controls of these hazards, monitor these controls and keep extensive records.
HR 759 would give authority to the FDA to establish "science-based" minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. These food safety standards would address manure use, water quality, employee hygiene, sanitation and animal control, temperature controls, and nutrients on the farm.
Such one-size-fits-all food safety rules, especially preventative measures, created with industrial-scale farms and processors in mind, would likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage. A similar voluntary set of regulations in California have damaged the environment and hurt organic and fresh produce growers.
These high-quality, owner-operated, and often "local" farms are an important part of the solution to our nation's food quality problems¬not the cause¬and they must be protected!
Protecting the Nation's Farming Heroes
It should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are already highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk. Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutritious foods pose a risk only after they are contaminated, which is why new food safety legislation must address the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
Whatever the final legislation looks like, it must make clear that it is the intent of Congress to ensure that ensuing regulations will not disproportionately burden small-scale family farm producers and farmstead businesses that are the backbone of the local, sustainable and organic food movement.
Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!
We must tell Congress to protect high quality organic and local food production
Please contact the following representatives to urge them to support legislation that will protect organic and small-scale family farmers while strengthening food safety. For a sample letter you can personalize and edit to send to your elected officials, click here.
1. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce¬send a message through the Committee website at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/
1. John Dingell (D-MI), the sponsor of HR759
2. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the sponsor of HR 875
3. Jim Costa (D-CA), the sponsor of HR 1332
ΓΌ Please contact your own district’s representative, especially if he or she is a cosponsor of one of the food safety bills (see below for a list of cosponsors)
Tell them other elements that must be included in new food safety legislation include:
1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. HR 759 proposes to regulate only fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying causes of food safety hazards.
However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the sources of potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.” Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of industrialized/centralized agriculture and food processing as serious health threats.
2. HR 759 should establish categories for food (processing) facilities to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by one-size-fits-all registration fees.
3. The final bill should also determine categories for “food production facilities” (farms) ¬ based on level of risk. These categories should differentiate between farms based on criteria including size and organic certification. A certified small-scale organic farm, as an example, selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or through farmers markets or roadside stands should be regulated differently from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national market.
4. Also, some small-scale farmers, including members of the Amish community, will find mandatory electronic record keeping requirements onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to scale.
5. At least one other separate piece of legislation, HR 814, would require a mandatory animal identification system (NAIS). Since the majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing, distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited utility in requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to animal health concerns, not human health). Since NAIS has caused a maelstrom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety legislation.
6. Most importantly, the final bill needs to state clearly that food safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They already have a plan for their farm¬an “organic system management plan.” The bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.
We urge you to contact Congressional leadership, and your own representative and senators, to make sure that the highest quality farmers in this country are not run over by juggernauts in Washington in their attempt to address the filthy industrialized food system that has sickened so many!
To locate your representatives in Congress, and send them a message through their website, click on this link:
1. http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/
Or you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your senators' and/or representative's office.
Note: it is especially important for you to contact your Congressional representative if they are a cosponsor of the proposed legislation. For a sample letter you can personalize and edit to send to your elected officials, click here.
Cosponsors of HR 759 include:
Representatives Donna Christensen (VI), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Frank Pallone (NJ), Gary Peters (MI), John Sarbanes (MD), Bart Stupak (MI), Betty Sutton (OH)
Cosponsors of HR 875 include:
Representatives Shelley Berkley (NV), Sanford Bishop (GA), Timothy Bishop (NY), Andre Carson (IN), Kathy Castor (FL), Joe Courtney (CT), Peter DeFazio (OR), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Anna Eshoo (CA), Sam Farr (CA), Bob Filner (CA), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), Rual Grijalva (AZ), John Hall (NY), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Mazie Hirono (HI), Eddie Johnson (TX), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Barbara Lee (CA), Nita Lowey (NY), Betty McCollum (MN), Jim McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), Gwen Moor (WI), Christopher Murphy (CT), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Chellie Pingree (ME), C.A. Ruppersberger (MD), Tim Ryan (OH), Linda Sanchez (CA), Janice Schakowsky (IL), Mark Schauer (MI), Louise Slaughter (NY), Pete Stark (CA), Betty Sutton (OH), John Tierney (MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Robert Wexler (FL).
Cosponsors of HR 1332 include:
Representatives John Adler (NJ), Joe Baca (CA), Joe Barton (TX), Leonard Boswell (IA), Michael Burgess (TX), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Yvette Clarke (NY), Henry Cuellar (TX), Lincoln Davis (TN), Nathan Deal (GA), Eliot Engel (NY), Sam Farr (CA), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Steve Kagan (WI), Collin Peterson (MN), Joseph Pitts (PA), Adam Putnam (FL), George Radanovich (CA), Charles Rangel (NY), Thomas Rooney (FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), John Salazar (CO), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Shimkus (IL), Lee Terry (NE), Mike Thompson (CA), Greg Walden (OR).
Will Fantle
The Cornucopia Institute
715-839-7731
www.cornucopia.org
George Davis wrote:
I have uploaded 3 files to our group: 1) WildFarm Alliances' Food Safety Destruction illustrated paper, 2) Michael Pollans article on food safety excesses and 3) High Country News Story "Fields of OverKill". The three articles can be useful references for educating people about environmental problems caused by inappropriate Food Safety protocols.
Basic Stuff.
George Davis
dijon1@sonic.net
Porter Creek Vineyards
707.331.4797 cell
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Dr. Andrew Bosworth www.Biotechempire.com
Notes Per Thom Hartmann March 26, 2009 Broadcast/ Interview
Dr. Andrew Bosworth called in from Japan for this interview with Thom Hartmann today
His web site is at www.Biotechempire.com Also the name of his book.
FOOD CONTROL being reclassified downward
An overstatement to say that all organic food will be outlawed, however…..
1. Requires food producers to pre-register even if the food remains in the state fair or local farmer’s market. 24 hour emergency contact on file. Registering everybody who produces food.
2. The unhealthy food is coming from China and other countries . The newly created Food Safety Administration (FSA) will outsource the inspections like how the Department of Defense outsources to Black Water. Monsanto will be able to shape the sampling and testing and inspecting.
3. One million dollar fine. Section 401 FSA may use the funds to carry out further confiscations and so in fact, will feed off and remain in existence based on how many fines it can charge.
4. We have a growing population of immune deficient as consumers –is an argument being made in the bills. Well this is because of big slaughter houses and processed foods. This bill moves us in the opposite of where we need to go with the food supply. Pushing the national animal identification system
Apr 26 International Seed Day.
If you grow things in your own back yard and you give to your neighbor- is this illegal?
No- only if you commercialize the food by selling to a coop, which is the healthiest food you can eat.
The attention of food safety needs to be most directed at the largest slaughter houses, particularly those feeding meat to the cows.
Dr. Andrew Bosworth called in from Japan for this interview with Thom Hartmann today
His web site is at www.Biotechempire.com Also the name of his book.
FOOD CONTROL being reclassified downward
An overstatement to say that all organic food will be outlawed, however…..
1. Requires food producers to pre-register even if the food remains in the state fair or local farmer’s market. 24 hour emergency contact on file. Registering everybody who produces food.
2. The unhealthy food is coming from China and other countries . The newly created Food Safety Administration (FSA) will outsource the inspections like how the Department of Defense outsources to Black Water. Monsanto will be able to shape the sampling and testing and inspecting.
3. One million dollar fine. Section 401 FSA may use the funds to carry out further confiscations and so in fact, will feed off and remain in existence based on how many fines it can charge.
4. We have a growing population of immune deficient as consumers –is an argument being made in the bills. Well this is because of big slaughter houses and processed foods. This bill moves us in the opposite of where we need to go with the food supply. Pushing the national animal identification system
Apr 26 International Seed Day.
If you grow things in your own back yard and you give to your neighbor- is this illegal?
No- only if you commercialize the food by selling to a coop, which is the healthiest food you can eat.
The attention of food safety needs to be most directed at the largest slaughter houses, particularly those feeding meat to the cows.
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