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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

HR 875 Have You Read It?

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875

I’ll cut to the chase, I read the whole thing and it actually IS pretty scary.

Here is the most important part.

(12) FOOD- The term ‘food’ means a product intended to be used for food or drink for a human or an animal and components thereof.

(13) FOOD ESTABLISHMENT-

(A) IN GENERAL- The term ‘food establishment’ means a slaughterhouse (except those regulated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act), factory, warehouse, or facility owned or operated by a person located in any State that processes food or a facility that holds, stores, or transports food or food ingredients.
(B) EXCLUSIONS- For the purposes of registration, the term ‘food establishment’ does not include a food production facility as defined in paragraph (14), restaurant, other retail food establishment, nonprofit food establishment in which food is prepared for or served directly to the consumer, or fishing vessel (other than a fishing vessel engaged in processing, as that term is defined in section 123.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations).

(14) FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITY- The term ‘food production facility’ means any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.

(15) FOOD SAFETY LAW- The term ‘food safety law’ means--

(A) the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic

Para 14 says that you and many other people now have a FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITY
Read the definition of food.
So if you FEED animals you have a FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITY.
Read on

SEC. 206. FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITIES.

(a) Authorities- In carrying out the duties of the Administrator and the purposes of this Act, the Administrator shall have the authority, with respect to food production facilities, to--

(1) visit and inspect food production facilities in the United States and in foreign countries to determine if they are operating in compliance with the requirements of the food safety law;

(2) review food safety records as required to be kept by the Administrator under section 210 and for other food safety purposes;

(3) set good practice standards to protect the public and animal health and promote food safety;

(4) conduct monitoring and surveillance of animals, plants, products, or the environment, as appropriate; and


It’s important to note that contained in this legislation is a rule that says if you STOP a federal inspector from coming onto your land, you can be fined up to (Dr. Evil) ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

This legislation also makes your home garden potentially illegal if you don’t follow certain federal rules and procedures that are set down in this legislation!

I don’t get it, I think we all need to call Kratovil and by the way, for your Western Shore readers, Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] is a co – sponsor of this bill.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are coming for us at a high rate of speed.

I do hope all the Obama worshipers are enjoying the fruits of their labor.

Sure hope I never hear one of them whining about how much their taxes have gone up. As well as all the civil liberties that are taken away from them.

As a once not so famous blogger liked to say Aux Barricades!

Anonymous said...

Sorry Joe but I don't see a problem with knowing our food supply is safe. With all the salmonila (sp) we obviously have problems.

Anonymous said...

Another set of government employees hired to do the job of the FDA and the USDA. Now there will be three agencies that do the same thing. THAT makes me sicker than salmonella ever will.

Anonymous said...

If Mr Inspector comes on my property he is goin to have a really bad day.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 1:24,

I'm not enjoying the fruit of my Obama labor yet. I'm still scrambling like a drowning man to get to the surface for some air from the flood Bush, (whom I did vote for), left me! If I somehow survive from the "Bush" position, I'll let you know how the fruit is!

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:15 that's tough talk until it happens then you'll be kiss but like the rest of them. I bet stuff will be done the right way from now on. No more cheap people cutting corners on our food supplies.

Anonymous said...

I read this the other day. Most of it is confusing and I dont see direct mention of it dealing with individuals. Please correct me if I'm wrong but we plan on planting a garden this year because if you really look in the stores most of the food is not even being grown in the USA anymore. It's sad really.

Anonymous said...

Did any of you mental midgets read this piece of legislation?

Do you understand that it basically makes a home garden subjet to search and inspection by the federal government?

Are you people out of your minds?

The person that wrote this is in the pocket of Cargill, they gave her thousands of dollars for her re-election fund.

Cargill, Monsanto, and many other multinationals want to kill the organic food growers and the people that are growing for themselves.

Have all of you that don't think this is a big deal lost your minds?

Anonymous said...

4:40

Obviously you are extremely stupid.

If you have a garden you are a food production facility.

Any food production facility is subject to this law.

It's no wonder we are where we are. We have a huge publicly educated populace that can't comprehend anything beyond American idol.

Anonymous said...

This legislation will put Salisbury farmers market out of business.

Anonymous said...

You fools, this isn't about food safety.

This is about control.

Are people so blinded by "His" light they can not see?

Once "they" have 100% control of the food supply, we're screwed.

Name one Govt. controlled enterprise that isn't screwed up.

And you want them messing with our food?

Anonymous said...

Under "(14)Food Production Facility" you will notice the term "confined animal-feeding operation". All poultry farms on the Eastern Shore have been determined to be confined animal-feeding operations. This is aimed squarely at the poultry industry and the state already requires us to pay $1,200 annually for a permit that requires the exact latitude and longitude of each poultry house just so they can come inspect the operations.

Anonymous said...

Okay, step back, take a deep breath, and think for a minute. Inspectors are not going to come to look at your gardens. These laws are written for the "big fish," so to speak. They're not coming after Harry Homeowner.

Did you know that it is technically illegal to transport more than two packs of cigarettes bought in Delaware into Maryland? Have you ever seen any agents watch you buy a carton and follow you over the state line and arrest you? Of course not. These laws are designed to cover big-time operations, not the average Joe (not necessarily Albero, lol).

Relax. Plant your gardens. No one's going to be bothering you unless you're such a bada$$ that they need an excuse to come and get you.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, granydragon, this is not just for the big fish. The Waterkeeper Alliance has sued the Maryland Department of the Environment because the department is not aggressive enough on local poultry farmers to suit the environmental wackos.

Anonymous said...

4:53

As I stated it was confusing. There is no reason to get nasty with anyone. Thats the problem with most and why people dont ask questions or find the answer. As I stated there was no direct mention of individual. I took it as being for people that produce things to sell and such. So I guess I was wrong. That is why I asked the question. There is no such thing as a stupid question and a stupid answer and you just proved that.

Anonymous said...

Obama has also quietly disarmed airplane pilots , the last line of defense against terrorists trying to hijack airplanes. You do remember that they hijack airplanes, right Obmabots?

Anonymous said...

4:53..

You're right.

I apologize.

Anonymous said...

Again, we have the USDA and the FDA doing this job. WHY would we need a third set of Government employees to pay to do what two agencies we pay already to try to accomplish this task that has not been accomplished?

THIS RAISES TAXES!!!! DUH!!!!

Get rid of one of the other two and call it a day, reduce my taxes accordingly, and leave me alone to grow my own. (Hey!, I rhymed)

Chimera said...

Heres the real kicker-the things that really make food unsafe,like salmonella,are naked to the invisible eye of the USDA inspector.

Wymzie said...

I wrote my letters last week, and everyone needs to do so.

This is very important stuff here folks!

The very basic of human activities will be against the law?

Anonymous said...

Bluto,
I worked at Mountaire as a contractor many years, and know that they have an office there, and test all day long for more than just salmonella. They have these high tech things they call MICROSCOPES AND STAIN that makes it show right up to the "naked eye". And, they are very strict there. I buy their chicken over any other plant on the shore, and I've worked at most.

Chimera said...

Cant argue with you there-the poultry industry has an excellent food safety record. And you illustrated the whole point of the comments made and that is there are already enough oversight and regulation in food production without adding more bureacracy. I agree with you on this-I prefer Mountaire products to the "big two" brands of poultry.