The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) could reach the Senate floor as early as today. This legislation considerably ramps up FDA regulation on farms that even minimally process their crops and thus threatens to overwhelm small direct market farms and processors selling to restaurants, food coops, groceries, schools, etc. Spurred by dangerous foodborne pathogens in long industrial food chains that have proven difficult to trace and remedy, this legislation fails to take into account the existing local and state regulatory framework that governs local food producers. An amendment sponsored by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) would exempt small farm and small food processing facilities as well as small and mid-sized farmers who primarily direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants within their region from this legislation.
Contact your Senators and ask them to vote YES for the Tester amendment to fix the FDA Federal Food Safety Modernization Act
(S. 510).
It's easy to call. You can get your Senator's name and direct number by going to
Congress.org and typing in your zip code. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard, provide your Senator's name and be directly connected to their office: (202) 225-3121. Once connected to your Senator's office ask to speak to the aide that works on child nutrition.
The message is simple. "I am a constituent of ________ and I am calling to ask him/her to vote YES on the Tester amendment to S. 510 - "The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act". The Tester amendment will exempt small farm and food facilities and farmers who direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants.
Background Information
In August, a recall to prevent the spread of salmonella contaminated eggs involved over half a billion eggs pulled off supermarket shelves in over 12 states under at least 25 different labels, even though they originated on just two related farms in Iowa. The story is emblematic of a highly concentrated food system characterized by long and difficult to trace supply chains and distribution systems. This situation is what S. 510 is supposed to address.
Unfortunately, without Sen. Tester's common sense amendment to S. 510, the bill threatens to undermine the resurgence of vibrant local food businesses supplying growing consumer desire to know their producers and buy fresh, wholesome local produce, meat and other products. Thus we can not support a food safety bill without Senator Tester's amendment.
Visit our partner organization's for additional background information on the bill.
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