Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org

Action Item:

Here is the Action Item:http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26714

The new food safety agency bills pending before Congress contain language that may threaten organic and natural food and small farms and ranches, as well as dietary supplements. While large-scale industrialized agriculture may pose a threat to public safety, applying highly restrictive rules appropriate to large-scale agri business to these alternative producers will cause serious harm to them, while not increasing public safety.

Therefore, while we do support Divesting the FDA of food authority, we do not believe these bills are the way to do that. However, if Congress insists upon adopting this course of action, we seek an protective amendment to these bills similar to the amendment that was added to the 2007 FDA law, protecting dietary supplements.

This bill is being “fast-tracked” for passage during the “honeymoon” period of the new administration when its harmful potential will not be noticed unless we take action now!

Here is the text of the Petition to Congress:

PETITION

To Amend the Food Safety Modernization Act
H.R. 875 [and Substitutes]

By the Addition of the
Natural and Family Food and Farming Exclusion Amendment

To: The Members of the Congress of the United States of America:

Whereas the proposed Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services should focus its activities on the significant public administration issues involving the capacity of large scale, industrialized agriculture to threaten public safety,

Whereas organic and natural agriculture, family farms and ranches, and natural or organic food products, including dietary supplements are not a significant part of the food safety problem, and

Whereas Congress previously provided for an exemption for natural food dietary supplements from the increased agency authority granted by the FDA Modernization Act of 2007, through a rule of interpretation, added as section 1011 of that Act, and has on numerous occasions exempted small and family farms from the same level of regulation as has been deemed necessary in the case of industrialized agriculture,

The citizens ascribing to this Petition therefore hereby request that the Food Safety Modernization Act be defeated, or that it, or any substitute for it, such as H.R. 759, be amended to exclude organic and natural agriculture, family farms and ranches, and natural or organic food products, including dietary supplements, through a rule of interpretation, as follows:

“Rule of Interpretation

“No provision of this act shall be deemed to apply (a) to any home, home-business, homestead, 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 regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.”

We also note the language of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 USC sec 203 (s) (2) which provides, “(2) Any establishment that has as its only regular employees the owner thereof or the parent, spouse, child, or other member of the immediate family of such owner shall not be considered to be an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce or a part of such an enterprise…” Language such as this would be helpful to allay our concerns.

If the FDA Center for Food Safety is to be moved into a new Food Safety Agency, then Dietary Supplements, regulated as foods under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) should be included in such agency, with the proviso that such substances, as foods, are deemed safe when used as directed.

Furthermore, the ascribing citizens Petition the Congress of the United States to declare it the public policy of the United States that organic and natural agriculture, family farms and ranches, and natural or organic food products, including dietary supplements shall be at all times free from suit, vexation, trouble, penalty, or loss of their goods, for the inestimable values they confer upon the public.

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Here is the Action Item:http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/t/1128/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26714

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More information on this issue:
http://drrimatruthreports.com/?p=2128

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[March 7, 2009 – This Petition was prepared by Ralph Fucetola JD, a Trustee of the Natural Solutions Foundation, for educational purposes – www.HealthFreedomUSA.org]