Planned food safety rules rile organic farmers

be warned if you plan to sell produce


http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-food-safety-20140223,0,6831660.story#axzz2u528ngu5

Planned food safety rules rile organic farmers
Local growers are discovering that proposed FDA regulations would curtail many common techniques, such as using house-made fertilizers and irrigating from creeks.

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A tense conversation followed as the visitor to his farm — an inspector from the Food and Drug Administration — warned him that some organic-growing techniques he had honed over four decades could soon be outlawed.

"This is my badge. These are the fines. This is what is hanging over your head, and we want you to know that," Crawford says the official told him.

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Now, farmers are discovering that the FDA's proposed rules would curtail many techniques that are common among organic growers, including spreading house-made fertilizers, tilling cropland with grazing animals, and irrigating from open creeks.

house-made fertilizers? yea, you know compost

What the heck is wrong with these people. Are they really that bent on killing people? Grrrr.

What if the materials that were used in the "house fertilizer" is sold to a neighbor who "manufactures" and packages it and sells it back to the farmer? Does that make it safe? Strange logic.. or is it Weird Science.

Any surprise when Michael R Taylor is Deputy Commissioner for Food at the FDA? I'm sorry, Food Safety Czar.
After all, government knows best!

FDA Lawyer--> Monsanto Lawyer--> FDA Deputy Commissioner of Policy--> USDA Administrator Food Safety and Inspection--> Monsanto Lawyer --> Monsanto VP Public Policy--> FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food

Seems legit.

Is anyone surprised that the food safety police at "Center for Science in the Public Interest" quoted in the article oppose GMO labeling but favors regulation of compost?

http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/simonkimbrelljacobson07112013/

Oh and for you conspiracy theorists the quoted Caroline Smith DeWaal serves as a representative for International Association of Consumer Food Organizations at Codex Alimentarius. https://www.cspinet.org/about/cspi_staff.html

And she's enough of a political player to get her named dropped as possible czar in '09. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/01/2-lobbyists-top-hopefuls-for-food-post/

Something mildly curious in the Center for Science in the Public Interest Form 990 for 2011 - One of their many stated goals is to "conduct an annual, nationwide food day to promote delicious, healthy and affordable food that is produced in a sustainable humane way."

On its face that sounds like something we should all be getting behind. So I wonder where the conflict comes in, that these people apparently do not agree with the methods for achieving the shared goals.

I've only just started looking into this one, I will be back as I find more.

So, here is a link at ActivistCash.com with something of a review of the CSPI http://www.activistcash.com/organizations/13-center-for-science-in-the-public-interest/

Let me summarize that the author is not favorably impressed.

And another link, with some pretty devastating information regarding how CSPI pursues its goals and how science really is not part of the process
http://www.alcoholfacts.org/CSPInoSciencePubInterest.html

At this point I am personally satisfied that this is a lobbyist organization with no scientific integrity and an agenda that runs contrary to my interests. I am also pretty well prepared to believe that they have no idea at all what is involved in sustainable agriculture, but they are pretty sure that some things are "icky".

And regarding Ms DeWaal - what bothers me is that her education is as a lawyer, not a scientist of any flavor at all. A lawyer really is not qualified to give advise on what is or is not a safe agricultural practice. How to write a regulation to require practices that have been identified by those qualified to determine what is safe, yes, but to make such determinations? Absolutely not.

If you haven't noticed yet... there is a full frontal attack by both industry and governments (trans-national, national, state and local) on those of us who are trying to live self-sufficiently/sustainably and/or in ecologically-sound manners (or just do the morally right thing). Basically, Permaculture is under attack! Time after time, I see cases where someone comes forward (local news, youtube, etc...) and shows how they have improved their lives/health/etc and maybe those of others... by doing things such as:

- "turning off" the power from the power company to live only off a small solar setup. Significantly reducing their utility bills and living a "simpler life".
- build a rocket stove heater.
- collect rain water to remove the need to irrigate their property using fluorinated/chlorinated city water.
- using compost, worm or soldier fly casting, or god forbid - real manure from fowl or grass fed animals, to fertilize their plants.
- grow fruit trees and god forbid - a vegetable garden on "their property", instead of this "manicured lawns" enslavement system we must all partake in.
- grow a medicinal herb garden.
- taken certain plants to get off pharmaceuticals.
- save your own heirloom seeds to re-grow your plants year after year.
- feed the homeless or give back to the community.
- buy or sell "living" food.
- etc...

Only to be visited by a number of different acronym government agencies ready to dish out fines for non-compliance of some stupid ordinance, law, or who-knows-what. Any attempt to get off the path of "hooking-up" to this insidious social "Matrix" of where you must watch your mandatory TV programming, eat your GMO infused processed chemical foodstuff, take your cholesterol reducing and mind altering pharmaceuticals, deviate from the force-fed left/right political paradigm conversation, etc... must be punished and must be punished publicly and harshly.

Sorry for the rant. But, the insanity has gotten so pervasive lately, that this behavior can no longer be seen as accidental. Some of us have woken up to the fact that this "Matrix" is unsustainable to the earth, to our healths, and to our childrens' future. Instead of just "talking about it" casually at parties (politically correct "greenies" - all talk and no action), and wondering when and if things will ever improve, some of us actually try to "walk the talk", and better our lives for ourselves by doing something about it. But, we do it at our own peril. I would love to do a youtube about some of the things I've done on my property. But, there is a fear that this will only invite undesired government intrusion onto my life. I am not doing this for profit. It's for my family's health and wellbeing.

How insane has our world gotten when do the right thing is being made illegal? Yet, committing crimes against nature is OK, as long as your are doing it with government approved poisons... Am I the only one feeling like this?

Josh