If you recall, I got bent out of shape back in Feb. over a food safety bill.
It sort of fizzled out but now there is another one gaining traction, HR 2749, The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009
I understand the point of view of food safety from the ground beef re-calls, the peanut butter thing, e.coli in organic spinach, etc. But HR 2749 would impose one size fits all requirements on small and local growers.
We are not the problem. I am shocked at how widespread the re-calls are. 100’s of thousand’s of pounds of beef being re-called. The spinach re-call that spread to 22 states and was not organic but went through EarthFare’s organic processing plant… Huh?
If you get ill from eating what we grow, it is a short drive to come whoop our ass when you are feeling better. We eat what we sell.
Apparently, HR 2749 defines a farm as producing stuff that is only grown and eaten on the farm. If we wash, trim, cool, or package for sale at local farmer’s markets; we are processing food and a food production facility. Which will require a $500 annual fee and will allow the FDA to to nose around without a warrant.
This is a recent development within the past couple of years derived from California, Oregon, and Washington state regulations.
We taste test as we harvest and wash. Dirt and all. We have left arugula, lettuce, and spicy greens mix standing in the garden because it was bitter and not up to our standards. We might eat it because we eat the culls, but we won’t sell it. How does that compare to govt. regulations?
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Sounds like a pretty scary bill. Thats all we need the government to tell us how, where, and when to grow vegetables. Thank you for getting the word out about the bill.
I hear you about the weeds-seems they grow back over night-or within the hour sometimes. But I’m so thankful for this years rain-that I’ll deal with the weeds : )