26 September 2010 By Stephen
Lendman Two earlier articles addressed
corporate friendly legislation masquerading as
pro-consumer. In fact, they'll destroy safe food,
empower agribusiness and drug giants, and harm small
farmers and consumers. Access them through the
following links: http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2009/07/hr-2749-agribusiness-empowering-act.html http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/08/legislation-for-greater-agribusiness.html This article is a brief follow-up
on where things now stand, as the Senate tries to
circumvent growing public opposition. On July 29, 2009, the House
passed HR 2749: Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009
"To amend the (1938 as amended) Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act to improve the safety of food in the
global market, and for other purposes." On March 3, 2009, S. 510: FDA
Food Safety Modernization Act was introduced, the
Senate's version of the House bill. It stalled after
being assailed as anti-consumer and small farmer as
well as failing to help food safety. In fact, like the
House bill, it's cover for greater industry
consolidation, destructive to consumer welfare. On July 29, 2010, S. 3669: Food
Safety Enforcement Act of 2010 was introduced "to
increase criminal penalties for certain knowing
violations relating to food that is misbranded or
adulterated." Referred to committee, it's being
considered before a full Senate vote. Then on September 13, S. 3767:
Food Safety Accountability Act of 2010 was introduced
"to establish appropriate criminal penalties for
certain knowing violations relating to food that is
misbranded or adulterated." Also referred to
committee, it's being debated before a full Senate
vote - likely soon before Congress adjourns to
campaign for the November 2 elections. Despite their language, neither
House or Senate bills help food, drug or nutrient
supplement safety. Both impair them by empowering
agribusiness and drug giants - why it's crucial to
defeat the Senate measures while there's time. So far, one senator (also a
physician) remains outspoken and opposed, Tom Coburn
(R. OK), saying: "While some regulations are
potentially onerous, but perhaps reasonable - such as
requiring every facility to have a
scientifically-based, but very flexible, food safety
plan - others give FDA sweeping authority with
potentially significant consequences....on the whole
this bill represents a weighty new regulatory
structure on the food industry that will be
particularly difficult for small producers and farms
to comply with (with little evidence it will make food
safer)." In fact, there's none. Dr. Rima Laibow, Medical Director
of the Natural Solutions Foundation alerts everyone to
"2 health freedom emergencies," S. 510, and S. 3767,
saying: After S. 510 stalled, S. 3767 was
introduced. It's now in the Senate Judiciary Committee
for consideration, an upcoming vote, likely passage,
then full Senate debate before adjourning to campaign.
Of major concern is that "S. 510 will be introduced
into (S. 3767) as an amendment, (along with) perhaps
elements of the long-discredited fake dietary
supplement 'safety' bill, S. 3002." On September 23, she said the
Judiciary Committee's Executive Committee considered
S. 3767, slightly amended it, but not enough to
matter. Passage of a combined S. 3767/S. 510 will
"CRIMINALIZE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD," benefitting
corporate giants by harming small farmers (including
organic ones) and consumers. Revised language won't stop the
FDA, FTC, Department of Agriculture, or other
government agencies from deciding any time that "some
rule, regulation, guideline or standard had not been
met," including "secret" S. 510 provisions. At issue is protecting small
farmers and consumers as well as safe organic and
locally grown food and dietary supplements. These
bills will restrict or prevent them from being sold on
the pretext of non-complaince with regulations, or in
some cases claiming they're unsafe. This is precisely what Ag and
drug giants want, giving them full control over the
nation's food, drugs, and dietary supplements. In
other words, everything ingested for sustenance,
nutrition, health and welfare will be in their hands
to dominate, process, industrialize, taint, restrict,
or prohibit for profit at the expense of consumers,
small farmers, and other producers who'll be harmed. One of many concerns is a
provision calling for up to 10 years in prison for
"misbranding," with no clear definition provided. For
example, the FDA defines misbranding as any food or
supplement claiming potential health benefits, even if
scientifically proved. "Adulteration" is another
issue, by definition including minor or inadvertent
administrative or clerical errors, unrelated to food
safety. With regard to vitamins,
minerals, and other dietary supplements, the Life
Extension Foundation (lef.org) highlighted the
problem, headlining "Congress Seeks to put Dietary
Supplement Makers in Jail for Ten Years," saying: Drug giants want to prevent your
right to freely choose dietary supplement for health.
S. 3767 masquerades as consumer friendly by "punish(ing)
anyone who knowingly contaminates food for sale. Since
there are already strong laws to punish anyone who
commits this crime, this bill (is just cover to
enrich) pharmaceutical interests." "The sinister scheme behind (it)
is to exploit the public's concern (for) food safety.
Drug companies want to convince your Senators that an
overreaching law needs to be enacted to grant the
(corporate run) FDA powers to define 'food
contamination' any way it chooses." Besides empowering corporate
giants, at issue "is that the FDA will use this as a
hammer to threaten and coerce small companies into
signing crippling consent decrees that will deny
consumers access to truthful non-misleading
information about natural approaches to protect
against age-related disease." In addition, by so
doing, they'll harm their own interests, shutting down
many businesses for not being able to show why their
products are beneficial. A Final Comment If passed, these House and Senate
bills will empower agribusiness, legitimize unhealthy
industrial food, put small farmers and producers out
of business, and harm consumers by restricting their
choices, besides making them pay exorbitantly higher
prices. In 1970, Henry Kissinger said:
"Control oil and you control nations; control food and
you control people." Concentrating power in the hands
of a few Ag/drug giants places everyone at risk. They
plan world dominance by patenting all life forms to
force-feed GMO foods and drugs on everyone, despite
their harm to human health. Safe organic and family
farm food will be restricted or disappear. So will
beneficial dietary supplements. Demand Congress defeat these
bills and enact "The Food Freedom Amendment," saying: "No provision of Federal Law
giving regulatory oversight to any Federal department
or agency shall be deemed to apply (a) to any home,
home business, homestead, home or community garden,
small farm, organic or natural agricultural activity,
(b) to any family farm or ranch, or (c) to any natural
or organic food product, including dietary
supplements, as protected under the Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act of 1994." The issue is clearly drawn -
defeat Agbiz and Big Pharma or (more than ever)
they'll harm human health and welfare. It's our choice
if we act - quickly. Stephen Lendman lives in
Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished
guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the
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time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs
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