HR 875

Hi all,

So I had a friend that posted a bulletin today about HR 875, a bill that is presently in Congress, called "Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009". This bill intends to make our food safer, but is implying that organic farming, including growing your own anything, could be illegal. This bill has rumors of some big supporters too. Monsanto, being the main one incriminated, wrote this response to this accusation that has been going around the internet, which can be seen here. This bill is obviously flawed in many ways, that could alter our enjoyment of organic farming or growing our own crops. This is a double edged sword.
This bill also intends to make our food safer. In light of recent events with peanut butter, spinach, etc. I think we can all agree that food regulations need to be tighter in this country, especially since we have the money and manpower (yes, even in an economic crisis, we are the USA after all) to have a separate governing agency tightening the reins on the food we eat. Do people realize that organic doesn't necessarily mean better? Organic farming may still use non-organic fertilizers (they just don't use non-organic pesticides, etc. although the use of an organic pesticide may be an option) and they don't necessarily have to be free of genetic engineering in some fashion. People need to wake up and realize this.
Now does this mean we should ban organic farming? No. Certainly not. I personally enjoy organic fruits and veggies over the waxed and chemical ridden fruits and veggies in the supermarket (although I don't always buy organic, I do enjoy organic though, if I had more $$$ I'd go all organic).
This bill is good news and bad news, that is where the double-edged sword comes in. It's too broad. Congress needs to turn this bill down and sit down and revise it to be more specific in its meanings as well as clarify its position on organic farming as well as devise a consise plan for safer foods in this country.
It's not surprising Monsanto is under attack for this. The genetic engineering mogul has dominated industry with it's genetically engineered soy, corn, various veggies and fruits, herbicides and pesticides and and bovine growth hormones (BGH). The risks of these products are largely unknown and people fear what these products could do to them, which is understandable. But do people realize that they have been eating genetically modified products for years? Yes, there are risks and Monsanto should research these risks associated with their products. Yes, the government needs to turn this bill down (then revisit and revise to make suitable for US Citizens well being).
That's my two cents on that topic, I hope everyone has a good day.