Wednesday, November 20, 2013

MORE GARDENING RULES!

by Robin

http://www.fromscratchmag.com/stop-fda-shutting-small-farms/ 

"1,500 pages.
That’s how much paper the new set of rules and regulations put forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for farmers as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
The Act, passed by Congress and signed by the President in 2011, attempts to address some concerns in America’s food safety and security.
It allows the FDA to regulate food safety for farms all across the United States.
The act included “scale-ability,” which basically means for small and medium sized farmers and agricultural, the law included a built in safety valve so the regulations would not be too financially onerous for the type of farmers – local, sustainable operations – we support at From Scratch magazine."

There are new rules from water samples to manure to processing (canning) to marketing. 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FDA-2011-N-0921   Here is your list of regulations and comments made by people. 
*****************************************************
I am not a small farming business but a more like a homesteader where I have a small garden in my backyard and some chickens for eggs.  Once they shut down the small farmer, who's to say they won't shut down the backyard farmer.  
Afterall, we already know of one case where the city of Miami is forcing a family to mow over their vegetable gardens in their front yard. See the below link.  Face $50/day fine or 90 days in jail.  Ridiculous.

I can't believe I live in American, where we are the Land of the Free, We the People supposedly protected by the 1st Amendment.  What happened to the pursuit of happiness? 
Blessings,
Robin

No comments: