In article ,
"Rachael Simpson" wrote:

This article was included on a newsletter I get from seventh generation.
Thought some you might like to read it also:

The Non-Toxic Times Newsletter

Vol. 8, No.8, June 2007

Proposed Laws (or Lack Thereof) Could End Up Playing With Your Food

If we are what we eat, we may be in trouble! That's according to recent
headlines that suggest we don't have to look very hard to find any one of a
number of troubling links in our nation's food chain. Toxic pet foods fed to
pigs. Tainted spinach. Imported foods from countries with questionable
safety records. Genetically modified staples. It's enough to give you
indigestion, which makes this update on food legislation important food for
thought.

Several important pieces of food legislation are currently pending in
Congress. Together with one that was passed but remains ignored, they either
constitute a full frontal assault on the safety of our food supply or its
salvation depending on where the roll calls fall. Here's the run down,
including how you can help stop or jump start each one:

. In late May, the House Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
quietly added language to the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill that would pre-empt
any and all state prohibitions against foods or other agricultural products
that have been deregulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The
passage approved states that "no State or locality shall make any law
prohibiting the use in commerce of an article that the Secretary of
Agriculture has inspected and passed; or determined to be of non-regulated
status." Observers say the added text targets several state laws that limit
or prohibit the planting of genetically modified crops. This assault on
states' rights and their abilities to raise the food safety bar higher than
ground level, which is approximately where federal regulators currently have
it, would also have the effect of preventing states from taking any action
when food contamination incidents occur. Concerned consumers are being
advised to demand that the subcommittee remove this language form the bill.
To do that, visit http://ga3.org/campaign/House_Ag. For more information
about the issue, visit
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/F...nPR5_24_07.cfm.

. Over at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), officials have proposed
new regulations that will eliminate labeling requirements for irradiated
foods. Regulations currently in place require food companies to clearly
label any foods that have been treated with x-ray or gamma radiation, a
process which destroys vitamins and nutrients, creates unique new compounds
never before eaten by human beings, and produces carcinogenic by-products
like benzene. The proposed rules would take away consumers' right to know
which foods they buy have been "nuked" and let food producers deal with the
industry's currently widespread problem of bacterial contamination by taking
a quick but dangerous radioactive shortcut. People who eat food (that would
be all of us) are being asked to flood the FDA with comments opposing this
toxic gift to agribusiness that comes at the people's expense. To do that,
visit
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia...gn.jsp?campaig
n_KEY=11102.
To learn more about the issue of food irradiation, visit
http://www.organicconsumers.org/irradlink.cfm.

. In what is starting to sound like a broken record, regulators at the USDA
once again can't resist the temptation to bow down before their corporate
overlords and meddle with the National Organic Standards. The agency is
considering allowing 38 non-organic spices, coloring agents, and other
ingredients in foods designated "USDA Organic." Current regulations allow
any food product with at least 95% certified organic ingredients to be
labeled organic as long as the remaining 5% or less of non-organic
ingredients appear on a special USDA list of approved non-organic items that
may be used because they are generally not available commercially in organic
form. The agency is considering expanding this list to include such things
as non-organic hops, dill weed, elderberry juice and annatto coloring
agents, sausage casings, and fructooligosaccharides, a bulking agent.
According to farmers, 90% of the ingredients on the list can be easily
produced organically. And while food producers had two years to petition the
USDA to include a specific ingredient on the revised list, the public had a
mere seven days to comment on the proposed rule changes. That comment period
has passed and as of this writing the USDA appears ready to amend the list.
Citizens are advised to contact their congressional delegation and protest
the changes to the National Organic Standards and to send their comments to
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns even though the comment period has
ended. To do that and learn more, visit
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia...gn.jsp?campaig
n_KEY=11401.

. Finally, activists are demanding that Congress stop blocking
implementation of mandatory Country of Origin Labels (COOL) on foods. COOL
legislation was part of the 2002 Farm Bill and was to go into effect in
September of 2004. The law would require all food products to label their
country of origin. These labels would give consumers concerned about things
like food contamination, suspect "organic" foods, global warming-linked
long-distance food transportation, the use of pesticides illegal in the
U.S., countries with poor food safety records and questionable production
practices, and other serious food issues the information they need to make
better choices. Unfortunately agribusiness interests and large chains like
Wal-Mart have convinced Congress to block implementation of the rules. Send
a letter to your congressional delegation demanding that the COOL law be
allowed to take effect at
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia...gn.jsp?campaig
n_KEY=11257.

Gives new meaning to grow our own.

Bill who shakes his head when Food laws exist.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2vmowr

PS Soylent Green

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
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