Passage of HR 875 into law will result in a much greater degree of federal control of food production and food regulation in the individual states as well as on a national level. The Feds would control to a much greater degree the inputs farmers can use [Section 206(c)(3) & (4)] as well as the products farmers can produce (raw milk).
Unannounced federal inspections of small farms will be the order of the day, reducing the level of protection provided by the Fourth Amendment. There will be little left of the states' police power to regulate food. HR 875 calls for the "integration of the inspection and compliance programs in food processing establishments" of the FSA, state and local agencies [Section 207(e)(3)(E)]. The federal government will be dictating the standards used in these programs to the states.
The burdensome requirements the bill imposes on small farms and the intrusive federal control it creates over small farm operations threaten the future viability of sustainable agriculture and the local food movement. HR 875 has been assigned to both the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Agriculture. It needs to be stopped. I value my freedom of food choice and the rights and independence of small farmers. Please stop this bill.
For more information, you can go to the following link or simply contact our legislators and tell them to vote against HR 875: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Monsanto-s-dream-bill-HR-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-090309-337.html
