Is the government right to illegalize organic farming?

Question

Bill HR 875

Wow, can you believe that they are trying to pass a bill REQUIRING use of CHEMICALS on all cultivated soils to protect the public. It seems that the sponsor's husband is on Monsanto's payroll; no surprise. Read on to see what we can do to stop this bill with 40 sponsors from becoming a law none of us want.
Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

Answer 1

Yet another violation of the 10th Amendment. And yet another reason to perform a coup.





Ever read this article? Freakin brilliant!... check it out...

http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5473





Ever wonder why they put fluoride in the water also?

https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20090304132939AAzvwVy

Answer 2

Trust me, as an ex-farmer (Yep, an ex-farmer,) you don't want the government messing around in your farming business. The governmenet is totally ineffecient when it comes to running agricultural programs. If you let the government subsidize your crop, they can and will: 1) Have total control over what you can and can't plant. 2) Will suggest you plant XYZ maize sorgum, wheat sorgum, etc. 3) You will work your hardest to make it the best crop that's ever been seen. 4) You will spend ungodly amount of money to do so. 5) The government will, at it's leisure (And I think being totally stupid,) tell you that there is a surplus and that you must plow your wonderful crop under, (oh, they'll pay you the disaster rates, but they won't begin to cover what you've spent.)

Answer 3

The aims behind this bill would be to destroy the health of the population (as with it's intervention in medicine and health) and also to establish tight, wide government control of the food industry.



The bill does specifically exclude primary producers from registration. However, certain types of producers could still be discriminated against by controls on the processing and food service industries. The bill in a number of places implies that controls take into account and control where food industry's food supplies are sourced from.



However, the real evil of this bill is not what it will do to organic or home gardenning, but the fact that it imposes such wide and heavy controls on the food industry and usurps state and local government responsibilities by creating a federal agency to "coordinate" at all government levels.



Organic farming does not necessarily produce the best food. Forcing farmers to use organic methods would inhibit the industry (for small growers) just as much, since they are so primitive and inefficent. Notice how "permaculture" is popular with the left-wing, totalitarian "sustainable development" movement. However, there are efficient, non-toxic, economically viable ways to farm. I know that because my father has used such a method for decades now, made alot more money from it than conventional growers and stayed in business when all the others in his industry, in his local area, folded.



It is not enough to say that "the language of the bill" does not specifically restrict some practice or impose some measure. It does not have to specifically restrict or impose anything. The fact that it is not specific leaves it open to interpreteation by the agency it creates. The agency will decide the specific measures, it is not the purpose of the bill to do so. All the bill says is that the new agency shall develop and annually update the food safety program.



As for being limited to things already under the FDAs jurisdiction, this legislation creates another agency.in the Department of Health and Human Services. It doesn't say another agency within or under the FDA. It is true that the bill addresses issues presently under the jurisdiction of the FDA, but the reason it is being proposed is that the FDA does not have enough control of those things.



Of couse big agribusiness has not expressed support for the bill. That would be a good way to get it rejected. In the past the big business interests have publicly opposed bills they themselves had created, as a reverse-psychological tactic.



The fact that consumer groups support the bill is not reassuring either, since they generally promote government controls themselves.



We cannot predict how this agency will actually behave. Totalitarians never introduce bills titled "A Bill to Step on the Faces of the People". They are smarter than that. Read this article showing how agribusiness and government work together in practice already:



http://www.alanstang.com/index.php?/site/comments/fighting_fascism_corporate_states_achilles_heel/



Alos, the FDA has a long history - up to present time - of Nazi harrassment of alternative health practitioners. One health food retailer has been in and out of jail many times for selling laetrile - vitamin B17, extracted from apricot kernals. They conducted an armed raid on a naturopathic doctor's clinic and seized medical records. They charged him because they found contaminated vitamin and mineral pills in his waste bins. (The reason they were binned was that they were contaminated.) The government has also forced children with cancer to undergo conventional treatment against the wishes of their parents, even after already having had those rreatments, wihich failed.



So we cannot predict what this new food bureaucracy will actually do in practice.



Here is a link to the bill itself:



http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h875ih.txt.pdf



Here is some more comment on the bill:



http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=12671



Ohiorganic's "fact sheet" from National Sustainable Agricultural Coalition is not reassuring. Sustainable Development itself is just the modern marketting term for communism/fascism. The ultimate aim of SD for agriculture is to collectivise it and move it close to the cities.

Answer 4

Have you actually read the bill? I just finished and could not find a single section which requires the use of chemicals, or a section that outlaws organic farming.

Answer 5

The government is not trying to make organic farming illegal in any way shape or form



I am an organic small farmer who makes my entire living selling at farmers markets, CSA, farm store and other local venues. I have spent the past 15 years developing a local foods system in SW Ohio (I have created several farmers markets, mentored many young farmers, sat on boards, etc). I also have been politically active for the past 35 years and have a good understanding how this process works. i have noted in the fear mongering emails, Videos, blogs and forum posts that there are a lot of mistruths and lies being bantied about over this bill.



Unlike most non small sustainable farmers I am not worried about this bill. For one it probably will never make it to the US House to be voted upon.



The following information about a bill now before Congress, HR 875, was developed by our friends at Food and Water Watch, and forwarded to us by the National Sustainable Ag Coalition (NSAC), of which PASA is a member. This Myth/Fact sheet was developed to help answer some of the rumors that are fairly rampant on the Internet right now. We will keep a close eye on the situation, and share further updates from NSAC as they become available.





Myths and Facts H.R. 875 – The Food Safety Modernization Act





MYTH: H.R. 875 "makes it illegal to grow your own garden" and

would result in the "criminalization of the backyard gardener."

FACT: There is no language in the bill that would regulate, penalize, or shut down backyard gardens. This bill is focused on ensuring the safety of foods sold in supermarkets.



MYTH: H.R. 875 would mean a "goodbye to farmers markets" because the bill would "require such a burdensome complexity of rules,

inspections, licensing, fees, and penalties for each farmer who wishes to sell locally - a fruit stand, at a farmers market."

FACT: There is no language in the bill that would result in farmers markets being regulated, penalized any fines, or shut down. Farmers markets would be able to continue to flourish under the bill. In fact, the bill would insist that imported foods meet strict safety standards to ensure that unsafe imported foods are not competing with locally-grown foods.



MYTH: H.R. 875 would result in the "death of organic farming."



FACT: There is no language in the bill that would stop organic

farming. The National Organic Program (NOP) is under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Food Safety Modernization Act only addresses food safety issues under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).



MYTH: The bill would implement a national animal ID system.

FACT: There is no language in the bill that would implement a

national animal ID system. Animal identification issues are under the

jurisdiction of the USDA. The Food Safety Modernization Act addresses issues under the jurisdiction of the FDA.



MYTH: The bill is supported by the large agribusiness

industry.

FACT: No large agribusiness companies have expressed support for this bill. This bill is being supported by several Members of Congress who have strong progressive records on issues involving farmers markets, organic farming, and locally-grown foods. Also, H.R. 875 is the only food safety legislation that has been supported by all the major consumer and food safety groups, including:

-- Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention

-- Center for Science in the Public Interest

-- Consumer Federation of America

-- Consumers Union

-- Food & Water Watch

-- The Pew Charitable Trusts

-- Safe Tables Our Priority

-- Trust for America's Health



MYTH: The bill will pass the Congress next week without amendments or debate.

FACT: Food safety legislation has yet to be considered by any Congressional committee.

Answer 6

Why not? They have been given the authority to illegalize lots of things and I am sure some of them you agree with.



Once they get the Power they have the Power~!

Answer 7

If you don't believe it, read this blog. It's a step by step explanation of what the bill would and COULD do. http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-solemn-walk-through-HR-8-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-090314-67.html



Time to email your Congresspersons again!

Answer 8

Well, they do not want Americans to be healthy. This is one conspiracy I truly believe in. The doctors have been making a killing off of us. And if the economy is not doing so good I only expect things like this to happen. They don't really want people to die. They just want everyone to be sick all the time. Chemicals and pesticides are linked to many diseases. Including MS. They don't want you or me to be healthy. They act like they do, but thats a front. Just like in California they are trying to ban bottled water. Why??? Why would they be so concerned about that? They don't want you to be healthy! Thats why! Chlorine in drinking water is linked to cancer, heart disease, ect. I mean really if you drink tap water you are drinking bleach water! Uhhhh YEAH! Thats healthy! lol..

Answer 9

I have a bunch of vacuum packed seeds, screw monsanto, I will plant what I want, and harvest seeds for next year.

Answer 10

Look at Orwell's 1984. Poison is nutrition.

Answer 11

very rarely is the government right in ANY action it takes, and this is no exception.

Answer 12

I wish there were a way we could illegalize stupidity.

Answer 13

If you look at the definitions in the bill, you will find that it applies only to food processing facilities, and that home and organic gardens will not be affected.



You're just assuming that the bill would apply to all farms. It wouldn't.

Answer 14

I wish there was some rule that would forbid organic vegetables from being in my local market.



That stuff is gross.

There is always some portion of it that's rotting right there in the bin.

The berries are always oozing something and I swear I can see the tubers moving.

There's always some kind of little tiny flies around them.

I loose my appetite immediately and it ruins the rest of my shopping.



Down with organic food.

Answer 15

Don't worry, the bill shouldn't affect most organic farms.



The issue is of public safetly.

Answer 16

I oppose such a measure. Just as I opposed a Texas measure to force injections on pre-teen girls against the wishes of their parents. I also oppose mandatory seat-belt laws.



I am sick of the government lording over my life.

Answer 17

Garden all you want.....just don't sell it on the open market and give me e-coli or salmonella....how about poop from cows with mad cow being on your carrots?.......do you like that idea? .......mad cow can't be killed by washing the item.