Currently, there is a food safety bill working its way through Congress. Apparently, Congress has decided to push this through before the change and balance of power is equalized in January. Food safety is not a partisan issue, but if this bill passes, it will definitely discourage and make it almost impossible for small family farms to comply.
Please consider calling Senator Cantwell and Patty Murray’s offices and asking them to support the Testor Amendment excluding small farms for this legislation.
As supporters of local farmers this bill will make it harder for small farms to stay in business and if the country needs anything it needs more farmers and lots of them dotting the landscape.
Let our Senators know know that you like supporting and eating food grown on small family farms.
Please email or call today! Thank you
Tristan
ACTION ALERT: Act by Nov. 17 on Senate Food Safety Legislation
November 13th, 2010
Call your Senators MONDAY or TUESDAY— Urge their support for the Tester Amendment
The Cornucopia Institute
It now appears that the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) will be voted on in the Senate during the “lame-duck” session as early as Wednesday, Nov. 17.
This bill, as we have noted before, would impose extremely burdensome and unnecessary requirements on the thousands of small farmers and food processors who are producing safe, nutrient-dense foods for their local communities — in fact, it may force some of these producers out of business.
A key amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small farmers who direct market more than 50% of their products.
These famers must have gross sales (direct and non-direct combined) of less than $500,000, and sell to consumers, stores, or restaurants that are in-state or within 400 miles. This amendment is especially important for off-farm retail locations such as farmers markets and CSAs.
Please call your Senators today (most offices have voice mail where you can leave a message) and ask them to support the Tester Amendment on the Food Safety bill.
If you are a farmer this is important to protect your livelihood. If you are a consumer, where will you buy your safe and nutritious food if your local farmers are forced out of business?
It’s easy to call. Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code in the box in the upper right hand corner. Click on your Senator’s name, and then on the contact tab for their phone number. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senator’s office: 202-224-3121. Once connected ask to speak to the legislative staff person responsible for agriculture. If they are unavailable leave a voice mail message. Be sure to include your name and phone number.
The message is simple:
“I am a constituent of Senator___________. I ask that he/she support the Tester Amendment to the food safety bill. The Tester Amendment will exempt the safest, small, owner-operator farms and food facilities and farmers who direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants. Food safety legislation should not create inappropriate and costly regulatory barriers to family farms and the growing healthy food movement in the drive to crack down on corporate bad actors. Please support the Tester Amendment and market opportunities for small and mid-sized family farms, and small food processing facilities.”
Thank you for your help and support for those producing some of the nation’s safest and most nutritious food!