[OKC] Food Safety Bill Dead?

[Walter Jacques]

On the up-side of this situation, the small family farmers who supply the 
farmers markets won't be thrust into the hardship that this bill would have 
placed on them.  It's a mixed bag.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Miles, Karen" <karen.miles at deq.ok.gov>
To: "Shauna Struby" <sstruby at cox.net>; "SOKC list serv" 
<okc at sustainableokc.org>; "Oklahoma Food Coop listserv" 
<okfoodret at yahoogroups.com>; "OSN list serv" 
<ok-sus at lists.oksustainability.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 10:22 AM
Subject: [OKC] Food Safety Bill Dead?


>I just heard something on the radio that the Food Safety Bill is probably 
>all but dead now.  There was some provision in it where producers from 
>Canada or Mexico who have a good track record with their produce would pay 
>to have an expedited inspection at the border.  The parliamentarian said 
>that bills with “taxes” in it like that have to originate in the House so 
>the House would have to have a new bill that includes that, pass it in the 
>House, then go back to the Senate to be voted on again.  However, 
>Republicans yesterday said they would filibuster everything except voting 
>on the Bush tax cuts so the odds of such a bill passing in this session is 
>slim.
>
> Looks like we will be staying with the food regulations written in 1938 
> (that was before we even had a fraction of the chemicals, like pesticides, 
> we have now).  Since the new bill provided its own funding for new 
> inspectors, that will not happen and inspections of large food 
> conglomerates will continue to be done an average of every 10 years in the 
> U.S. and every 1800 years for food facilities overseas.
>
> Karen
>
>
> ><((((º> ><((((º>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shauna Struby [mailto:sstruby at cox.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 10:09 AM
> To: SOKC list serv; Oklahoma Food Coop listserv; OSN list serv
> Subject: [OKC] Food Safety Bill Passes Senate, Including the Tester 
> Amendment
>
>>From the Organic Consumers Association and NY Times:
>
>
>
> Senate Passes Overhaul of Food Safety Regulations
>
> By Gardiner Harris and William Neuman
>
> The New York Times, Nov 30, 2010
>
> Straight to the Source
>
>
>
> Organic Consumers -- Editor's Note: Thanks to all the groups who 
> campaigned
> tirelessly on this issue. OCA is pleased that the Tester Amendment passed
> along with the bill, but like the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (quoted
> below), we have some concerns about the implementation of these 
> regulations
> and will continue to monitor this issue and keep our eye on the FDA.
>
>
>
> WASHINGTON - The Senate on Tuesday passed a sweeping overhaul of the
> nation's food-safety system, after recalls of tainted eggs, peanut butter
> and spinach that sickened thousands and led major food makers to join
> consumer advocates in demanding stronger government oversight.
>
>
>
> The legislation, which passed by a vote of 73 to 25, would greatly
> strengthen the Food and Drug Administration, an agency that in recent
> decades focused more on policing medical products than ensuring the safety
> of foods. The bill is intended to get the government to crack down on 
> unsafe
> foods before they harm people rather than after outbreaks occur.
>
>
>
> Full story here :::
> http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22113.cfm
>
>
>
> Shauna Lawyer Struby
>
> imagine, innovate, collaborate, transition
>
> Co-chair, Transition OKC
>
> Past-president, Sustainable OKC
>
> www.goinglocalokc.org <http://www.goinglocalokc.org/>
>
> www.sustainableokc.org <http://www.sustainableokc.org/>
>
> Fresh Greens blog <http://freshgreens.typepad.com/>
>
>
>
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