Its’ not my usual field of enquiry, I know, but all of a sudden I’m picking up a load of email and web traffic about the Food Safety Modernisation Act of 2009 (HR 875).
This was introduced in February by Rosa Delauro, a democratic party member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut, who just happens to be married to Stanley Greenberg, a political consultant whose clients include ‘GM giants’ Monsanto–Monsanto. The full text is here. I’m not very good at US legislation process, so perhaps someone can enlighten me as to what stage it’s at and when it may or may not be voted on finally.
From what I’m reading, for example here and here, it looks like the bill, written really vaguely (on purpose?) could potentially threaten all organic farming in the US, right down to backgarden production, and require.
A quick scan of the text of the bill suggests that, in addition to the apparently draconian new inspection powers set out, the real danger is set out at section 203 ‘Prevenative process controls to reduce adulteration of food’, which states the following:
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations that require all food establishments, within time frames determined by the Administrator:
(1) to adopt preventive process controls that
(A) reflect the standards and procedures recognized by relevant authoritative bodies;
(B) are adequate to protect the public health;
(C) meet relevant regulatory and food safety standards;
(D) limit the presence and growth of contaminants in food prepared in a food establishment using the best reasonably available techniques and technologies; and
(E) are tailored to the hazards and processes in particular establishments or environments
(2) to establish a sanitation plan and program that meets standards set by the Administrator.’
I’m no expert, but that does at first sight leave the door wide open to the big firms like Monsanto to influence heavily what ‘the standards and procedures’ should be, and how they should be achieved.
It all looks a bit scary to me, not least that it appears to be happening under the nose of a new president who’s not supposed to be into this kind of thing, and is sponsored by a member of his own party.
Anyone know any more?
