HR 2749 - A Stealth Agribusiness Empowering Act

-- "Protect the constitutional right of the nation's family farms to provide processed and unprocessed farm foods directly to consumers through any legal means.

-- Protect the constitutional right of consumers to obtain unprocessed and processed farm foods directly from family farms, (and)

-- Protect the nation's family farms from harassment by federal, state, and local government interference with food production and on-farm food processing."

Run by industry officials, the FDA is a front group for agribusiness, Big Pharma, and other related industries it "regulates." If enacted, FSEA will greatly increase its power and limit judicial restraints on its actions. Although some provisions address improving the "mainstream food system," the potential for "inappropriate application and enforcement" is worrisome because the bill's language is vague and deceptive. It also doesn't define greater FDA authority or explain how it will empower agribusiness giants at the expense of small farms, "local artisanal producers" and consumers.

As a result, FTCLDF opposes HR 2749 because it will "adversely impact small farms and food producers, without providing significant reforms in the industrial food system." It also fails to address underlying food safety problems, including "agricultural practices" and industry consolidation. FTCLDT denounces FSEA for enhancing abusive powers at the expense of long-standing family farm freedoms and consumer choice.

Its specific concerns are as follows:

Current law requires "food facilities" to register one time at no charge with the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Under FSEA, annual registration and a yearly $500 fee is required except for farms that do the following:

-- ones in a single physical location that grow and harvest crops, raise animals or seafood;

-- "that pack or hold food, provided that all food used in such activities is grown, raised, or consumed on that farm or another under the same ownership; and

-- facilities that manufacture/process food, provided that all food used in such activities is consumed on that farm or another farm under the same ownership."

Farm processing doesn't qualify unless it complies with the above provisions. If foods are produced elsewhere, farmers buying them lose their "farm" designation and become subject to annual registration procedures, henceforth done electronically in violation of Amish and other Mennonite customs that consider this practice a violation of their faith.

Extensive registration paperwork will also have to include:

-- certification of a hazard analysis;

-- identifying, implementing, and validating effective preventive controls and monitoring;

-- instituting and verifying corrective measures to address problems; and

-- maintaining records of all of the above and re-analyzing for hazards.

 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5