SB 510: It's baaaaacckkk!... er, DONE!

[savingdogs]

It means barter or sell to only trusted friends. Keep no records. Don't sell to strangers.

 

[Buster]

So what does this mean for the little guy? Will you need to undergo an inspection to sell eggs from your home, or produce to friends?

Actually, this bill has no effect on eggs at all. Meat either.

 

[bibliophile birds]

So what does this mean for the little guy? Will you need to undergo an inspection to sell eggs from your home, or produce to friends?

eggs are covered by the USDA, not FDA. so they aren't covered by this bill.

what it means for small farmers (make less than $500,000/year, sell within 250 miles of farm, etc), with the Tester amendment in place, is nothing. you still have to meet local regulations, but no new federal ones.

as Buster said, the most important thing is making sure that, if this thing is going to pass and it certainly looks that way, we MUST make sure the Tester amendment passes too. if not, we will all be regulated EXACTLY like Big Ag.

as much as i'd like this bill to die and see it replaced with a bill that actually does what they are trying to do effectively... i know that isn't going to happen. so, at this point all i can really do is flood my Representatives offices with calls insisting they support the Tester amendment. i highly suggest you all do the same.

 

[Buster]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...nt-to-sign-food-safety-bill-into-law-now-what

 

[Wifezilla]

Well the NOW WHAT part wont hit us for a while. Like the health care mandate, it will take years to unravel before we know who is truly screwed.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Well the NOW WHAT part wont hit us for a while. Like the health care mandate, it will take years to unravel before we know who is truly screwed.

Yo...

 

[patandchickens]

So, *is* the small-farms exemption on the version that passed?

Pat

 

[Buster]

So, *is* the small-farms exemption on the version that passed?

Pat

Well, it was in the Senate version. If there would have been changes in the House version it would have had to do to reconciliation. Since the House passed it within days, and the president signed it today, I have to assume it was still in there.

But I will check and let you know.

ETA:

Yup. It's in there. This from Time...

"The bill isn't perfect it covers only the 80% or so of the nation's food system covered by the FDA. (It excludes meat, poultry and most eggs, which are overseen by the Department of Agriculture.) And though many industry groups supported the bill, there was opposition by food producers who claimed the actions will raise costs, and who were unhappy about exemptions made for small, local producers. The exemptions 'will limit the ability of the [Food and Drug Administration] to assure consumers that all foods they purchase, whether at grocery stores, restaurants, farm markets or elsewhere, have met the same food-safety standards,' said United Fresh Produce Association Senior Vice President of Public Policy Robert Guenther in a statement yesterday."

Source: http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/...l-finally-passes-but-its-just-the-first-step/

 

[Buster]

And another link that may be of more interest to this bunch...

http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/house-passes-food-safety-act/

 

[Bethanial]

At least the Tester Amendment was still in there....