The Sustainable Agricultural Coalition is looking for constituents in Boswell and King's district to comment on the proposed Food Safety bill as below:
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Teri Reinhart <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 9:21:24 PM
Subject: Sustainable Food
>From: Wild Farm Alliance <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Food Safety Alert -- Call House Ag Cmtee Members
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 4:55 PM
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>Wild Farm Alliance has been working with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and asks you to please act on their alert today, if your Congress-Member is on the House Agriculture Committee (see chart below),
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>and STAY TUNED for more FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION NEWS in the coming days! Thanks for your support.
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>ACTION ALERT!
>It's Time to Ask Tough Questions About
>Pending Food Safety Legislation
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>PLEASE CALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 15!
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>There is no question: our food system needs to be safer. But Congress is currently debating food safety legislation (Food Safety Enhancement Act - H.R. 2749) that could impede conservation-based agriculture. If approved, certain provisions could lead to the dismantling of important conservation practices and wildlife habitat, hinder beginning, sustainable, and organic farmers' access to markets, and require expensive fees.
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>Small and mid-sized farmers, especially those that practice sustainable and organic methods, should not disproportionately bear the burden and expense of new food safety laws. Likewise, consumers' access to wholesome, fresh, sustainably-produced foods should not be diminished by any new legislation.
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>Solutions to the food safety dilemma must be rooted in good science, and support family farmers, consumers, and sustainable and organic agriculture. We need to ask tough questionsthat address some of the problems in pending food safety legislation.
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>On Thursday, July 16, the House Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing to ask representatives from agribusiness, large farm organizations, and the food industry about deficiencies and concerns with the pending food safety legislation, HR 2749.
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>Currently no representatives from the sustainable and organic agriculture community are scheduled to testify at this hearing, but this is still an important opportunityfor our concerns to be raised.
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>MESSAGE:
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>It's easy to call. If your Congressperson is on the House Agriculture Committee (see list below), please call their office and ask to speak with the aide that works on agriculture (or send them a fax). Urge the Member to raise the following questions with the food safety hearing panelists on July 16:
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>1) If left as is, provisions in the HR 2749 bill could encourage farmers to tear out important wildlife habitat and buffer strips that protect streams and rivers in an effort to try to create a "sterile" on-farm environment free of bacteria. What do you know about this? Can't we harmonize the safety of our food supply with environmental protection?
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>2) Why are all food "facilities" under the proposed new law, even those that gross well under $500,000 annually, subject to the same registration fee of $500 each year? Isn't this a regressive tax that disproportionately impacts smaller producers? Why would a small processor have to pay the same annual fee as the largest facilities in our food system?
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>3) I'm concerned that organic producers who already have to comply with food safety standards outlined in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 will be burdened by another set of separate standards if HR 2749 becomes law. What can be done to ensure we are not creating a disincentive for farmers to transition to organic?
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>4) Farmers that sell directly to consumers or who use marketing strategies that preserve the identity of their farm products pose less of a food safety risk because their products are easily traced back to their farm. Should there be a comprehensive exemption for these kinds of farms in HR 2749?
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>Background
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>On June 17, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved a manager's amendment to the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. While the bill did incorporate some changes proposed by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and National Organic Coalition, HR 2749 retains a flat $500 registration fee per facility, thus failing to incorporate a scaled fee system. This means that a small processor (even on-farm if selling mostly wholesale) would pay the same annual fee as a facility run by Tyson, ADM, or any other large food manufacturer. In addition, the bill does not specify the positive role that conservation practices can play to address food safety concerns, and also fails to provide guidance so that new food safety standards are harmonized with those specified in the Organic Foods Production Act.
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>The bill has not yet been scheduled to go to the floor of the House, but it is expected to do so sometime the week of July 20 or 27.
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>111th CONGRESS: HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
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>Democrats
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>Representative Phone FAX
>Collin Peterson (MN-7), Chair 202-225-2165 202-225-1593
>Tim Holden (PA-17) 202-225-5546 202-226-0996
>Mike McIntyre (NC-7) 202-225-2731 202-225-5773
>Leonard Boswell (IA-3) 202-225-3806 202-225-5608
>Joe Baca (CA-43) 202-225-6161 202-225-8671
>Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) 202-225-6131 202-225-0819
>David Scott (GA-13) 202-225-2939 202-225-4628
>Jim Marshall (GA-8) 202-225-6531 202-225-3013
>Stephanie H. Sandlin (SD-at large) 202-225-2801 202-225-5823
>Henry Cuellar (TX-28) 202-225-1640 202-225-1641
>Jim Costa (CA-20) 202-225-3341 202-225-9308
>Brad Ellsworth (IN-8) 202-225-4636 202-225-3284
>Tim Walz (MN-1) 202-225-2472 202-225-3433
>Steve Kagen (WI-8) 202-225-5665 202-225-5729
>Kurt Schrader (OR-5) 202-225-5711 202-225-5699
>Deborah Halvorson (IL-11) 202-225-3635 202-225-3521
>Kathleen Dahlkemper (PA-3) 202-225-5406 202-225-3103
>Eric Massa (NY-29) 202-225-3161 202-226-6599
>Bobby Bright (AL-2) 202-225-2901 202-225-8913
>Betsy Markey (CO-4) 202-225-4676 202-225-5870
>Frank Kratovil, Jr. (MD-1) 202-225-5311 202-225-0254
>Mark Schauer (MI-7) 202-225-6276 202-225-6281
>Larry Kissell (NC-8) 202-225-3715 202-225-4036
>John Boccieri (OH-16) 202-225-3876 202-225-3059
>Earl Pomeroy (ND-at large) 202-225-2611 202-226-0893
>Travis Childers (MS-1) 202-225-4306 202-225-3549
>Walt Minnick (ID-1) 202-225-6611 202-225-3029
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>111th CONGRESS: HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
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>Republicans
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>Representative Phone Fax
>Frank Lucas (OK-3), Ranking Member 202-225-5565 202-225-8698
>Bob Goodlatte (VA-6) 202-225-5431 202-225-9681
>Jerry Moran (KS-1) 202-225-2715 202-225-5124
>Timothy Johnson (IL-15) 202-225-2371 202-226-0791
>Sam Graves (MO-6) 202-225-7041 202-225-8221
>Mike Rogers (AL-3) 202-225-3261 202-226-8485
>Steve King (IA-5) 202-225-4426 202-225-3193
>Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) 202-225-4005 202-225-9615
>K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) 202-225-3605 202-225-1783
>Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) 202-225-4806 202-225-5686
>Jean Schmidt (OH-2) 202-225-3164 202-225-1992
>Adrian Smith (NE-3) 202-225-6435 202-225-0207
>Robert Latta (OH-5) 202-225-6405 202-225-1985
>Phil Roe (TN-1) 202-225-6356 202-225-5714
>Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) 202-225-2956 202-225-5712
>Glenn Thompson (PA-5) 202-225-5121 202-225-5796
>Bill Cassidy (LA-6) 202-225-3901 202-225-7313
>Cynthia Lummis 202-225-2311 202-225-3057
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