IICFA

Sharon and I were on the Derry Brownfield show on Friday morning (Feb 20), talking about the closed USDA/DHS training meeting and some of the new bills in our federal Congress.

http://www.derrybrownfield.com/tracks/022009.mp3

Please take a few moments to listen in. Beyond deciding issues of NAIS implementation, quarantine and livestock depopulation at this meeting, three bills will determine the future of the US food supply.

Sharon and I both posted before on the meeting. Please see previous blog entries for more, as well as for contact information.

HR 814 and S 425 provide for individual tracking of every food item (and its ingredients) from sprout or birth to bathroom.

HR 875 creates the "new agency" to be called the Food Safety Administration.

This bill also stipulates a birth to toilet tracking system. However, it does so much more:

It mandates NAIS using the Animal Health Protection Act, claiming NAIS is already an "existing law." AHPA does not mandate any tracking during inter-state commerce, and therefore, the bill (which addresses this issue) and the assumption are wrong.

875 creates enforceable fines for non-compliance of $1000 to $1 MILLION per violation per day - and includes jail time of 5 - 10 years on the same basis. Further, these penalties are not exclusive - if they can tack on more, they will.

Farmers will be required to allow FSA officials or their representatives "On Notice" access to all places of business, and if their business computer is in their private home, they will come in there, too. No warning, no warrant. Not only this, but farmers must allow not only viewing access to all their records, but also are required to provide copies to these officials - on demand. FSA can maintain these records as long and for whatever purpose they wish.

We already know about the First Amendment issues with Amish and other Christian farmers - as usual - there are NO EXCEPTIONS included in this bill, other than for foreign countries.

FSA is also to establish MINIMUM standards for use of fertilizers, nutrients, water, feed and other items, to make rules (binding as laws, according to the bill) on "animal encroachment" into farm fields, environment and health, and even "best farming practices."

This is just the tip of the iceberg on 875 - it is 117 pages of pure tripe, that will do nothing but drive small and family farmers out of business.

These bills MUST be stopped.

Please contact IICFA for more information -

(847) 873 - 0251