S 510?

[clevermanka]

Thanks to all the well-wishers!

I'm almost off to bed, but I wanted to get this out there, though, to see if anyone else had heard of it. Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, which this blogger here seems to think is a new movement to crush the localvore contingent.

For real? Anyone else besides miischelle heard about this?

Comments

[fireguarder.livejournal.com]

Hadn't heard of it but the summary makes it look like a pretty good consumer protection bill. The problem may lie in the definition of "food facility", and I did not see that definition spelled out in this bill. Perhaps there is an official federal definition of "food facility" somewhere else, and perhaps that definition includes local food producers. Failing that, however, it appears to be attempting primarily to protect consumers from tainted food, and to provide a method of tracking the origin of tainted food.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm still leery that it's an "in" to the Codex Alimentarius. Check my comment below for a start to the piles of info that start the scary parts.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the close reading! I appreciate it. When I can stand to look at a computer screen for more than ten minutes at a time, I'll browse through it myself.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

It goes much deeper:

Search Codex Alimentarius (http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp") under various subcategories and either Worry Worry Worry, or take it as you will.

I've read and watched this (http://soldierforliberty.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/codex-alimentarius-another-possibly-lethal-un-freedom-grab/)

These 14 points provide you with understanding about Codex Alimentarius – health freedom threat number one. It also explains what to do about it. Codex Alimentarius (Codex for short) means “Food Code.” This world food code is a United Nations agency, jointly sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It has existed for nearly 50 years and its International Statute gives it a joint mission: protecting food safety and promoting world food trade. It is supposed to do so by adopting voluntary Guidelines and Standards (defining foods in international trade) and its decisions are enforced through the World Trade Organization (WTO) which considers its Guidelines and Standards as presumptive evidence in WTO trade disputes. It has become a creature of the Bigs – Big Govt, Big Agra, Big Pharma… etc.



and watched various organizations' take on it such as Watchdog Central (http://www.watchdogcentral.org/) and Dr Mercola. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/10/13/vitamins-minerals2.aspx) who has been watching it for at least six years that I can see.

I'm still worried and confused.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the extra links. I'll look at those when I'm not still seeing halos around light sources.

*sigh*

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Was that an expected part of the recovery?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

A-yup. For a few days, at least.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

oh phew!
For a minute there I was really worried.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

In fact, I paid an extra $1,200 ($600 per eye) for the special technique that will minimize halos. This will help a lot (I hope) with my night driving issues.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I hope so too!

huh. I've had the sort of halo effect myself for years, but I just thought it was a part of my astigmatism and not wearing glasses. Never thought about asking if it could be fixed.

Ps I've added this entire thread to my memories page for all the great info everyone is sharing.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I don't know exactly if the halos are part of having astigmatism, but it is an eye abberation that they can at least cut down (if not eliminate) with the Zyoptik LASIK method. They said to expect some halos, even during the day, for about a week.

Yay.

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

Heard of it, been following it, wrote some letters, made some phone calls.. and well it scares me. More than another Bush in the white house.

This bill will:

Mandate NAIS (National Animal Identification System) THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!
Allow industrializations of all farms
Give the federal government arbitrary power to force any practices they choose on any farm- to mandate antibiotics, hormones, slaughterhouse waste, pesticides and GMOs.
Allow the federal government to outlaw raw milk

There is a lot more out there...

It is horrifing. If you want a safe food system- then you don't want a global and centeralized system (like the one we have here) you want one based locally and that is diverse.


Here is an interesting FAQ: http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/news/news-HR2749-FAQ.htm

So the book I am reading right now- I would recommend to anyone that it interested in this topic. Everything I want to do is Illegal- by Joel Salatin.

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

Thankyou for that link, that is exactly what I have been scouring the internet for.

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

This part amazes me..

Under HR 2749, those who sell vegetables from the garden at farmers markets would be required to follow federal standards for growing produce [4e]; and their business records would be subject to warrantless searches by FDA inspectors even if the agency has no evidence of any violation of the law

What's that? Oh it's just freedom- it's moving to Canada.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_luaineach/]

Under HR 2749, those who sell vegetables from the garden at farmers markets would be required to follow federal standards for growing produce

Hey now! Don't worry so! It's all being done to protect you, as the consumer!!

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

I think my favorite was the part about putting the Amish in prison.

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

That part just makes me speechless. Seriously.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

They started out by stopping them from selling baked goods at roadside stands. Unless they have the local Health Dept certify their kitchens as "commercial".
Even my friend at The Flying Fork (http://www.theflyingfork.com) ran into that here in town and had to quit doing her home-delivered meals.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Zackly!

I was dismayed yesterday by J'bird's phone call to an old friend who raised pigs.. humanely and all.
We wanted to purchase one from him. He's out of the biz, too many issues, the way he farmed wasn't cost-effective and he lost the farm (and almost his home).
I'm putting in a call later today to Gaspar Farms (http://www.gasperfarm.com/).

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

Parker Farms is also great, it is where I get my meat now. Their bacon is seriously to die for!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

ooh, thanks! I'll look them up too.

Love's the bacon.

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

Amy's Meats, too. I know the woman who owns it and their whole business is just fantastic. And their meat is delicious.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thank you for chiming in! This is right up your alley, isn't it?

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

It is.. and I found a program in which one could get their Masters and PhD in it as well. I would have to move to Boston, which, I am honestly looking into.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Wow! That'd be awesome!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_luaineach/]

The blogger has it right. It is a nasty thing that will be the death of local sustainable farming. Hello Monsanto, here's the agri world for you on a silver platter!

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

Is that any way to talk about one of Forbes Best 2009 companies?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Gross. If both you and funky_peacenik both agree that this is alarm-worthy, it's something I should educate myself about. Thanks for the two cents.

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

So if my tomatoes ever grow, you want to buy some Lydia? I could sell produce across state lines without a federal lisence! And go to jail, and hang out with the Amish!

I'm imaginging a mass-Amish-migration into federal prisons, where they start a farming program for prisoners...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ha! Hahahaha....*sob*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_luaineach/]

Ya. You know how much time I spend working with the local, sustainable, direct-to-consumer farm I volunteer at, on top of the community garden involvement and all, and this bill is pretty much the antithesis of supporting opportunities for communities to re-connect with the rural farm experience.

Boo! to it, is what I say.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

We can haz less legislation nao?