Food Safety Modernization Act
October 5, 2010
Dear Senator:
The 107 undersigned organizations represent consumers, farmers and ranchers, local food producers, and co-ops who are concerned that the pending food safety legislation, S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, will unnecessarily burden and handicap small-scale, local food producers. We urge you to support the amendment co-sponsored by Senators Tester and Hagan to ensure that small-scale direct-marketing farms and food producers are protected from unnecessary and overly burdensome federal regulations.
All of the well-publicized incidents of contamination in recent years – including the recent egg recall – occurred in industrialized food supply chains that span national and even international boundaries. The food safety problems in this system can and should be addressed without harming the local food systems that provide an alternative for consumers.
The growing trend toward healthy, fresh, locally sourced vegetables, fruit, dairy, and value-added products improves food safety by providing the opportunity for consumers to know their farmers and processors, to choose products on the basis of that relationship, and to readily trace any problems should they occur. Farmers and processors who sell directly to consumers and end users have a direct relationship with their customers that ensures quality, safety, transparency and accountability. In addition, small-scale food producers are already regulated by local and state authorities, and the potential risk their products pose is inherently limited by their size. For these farmers and processors, new federal requirements are unnecessary and would simply harm both the food producers and their consumers.
Although S. 510 includes some provisions for flexibility for small and diversified producers and processors, the bill’s new hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls would affect these facilities and authorize FDA to dictate growing and harvesting practices for produce. These requirements will impose significant expenses and burdens on individuals and small businesses.
We therefore urge you to support the Tester-Hagan Amendment.
For more information, contact Sara Kendall at 202-547-7040 or sara@worc.org, or Judith McGeary at 512-484-8821 or Judith@FarmAndRanchFreedom.org.
Sincerely,
Abundance Cooperative Market (NY)City Center Market (MN)
City Market/ Onion River Co-op (VT)
Common Ground Food Co-op (IL)
Community Food and Agriculture Coalition of Missoula County (MT)
Community Food Security Coalition
Constitutional Alliance
Cornucopia Institute
Corvallis-Albany Farmers Markets (OR)
Dakota Resource Council
Dakota Rural Action
Deep Roots Market (NC)
Eastside Food Co-op (MN)
Edible Austin
Edible Missoula (MT)
Edible San Marcos (TX)
Empire State Family Farm Alliance (NY)
Family Farm Defenders
Farm Aid
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
FarmAssist Productions
Fiddleheads Natural Food Coop (CT)
Florida Certified Organic Growers & Consumers
Food for Maine’s Future
Fort Collins Food Co-op (CO)
Good Earth Market (MT)
Grand Forks County Citizens Coalition (ND)
Idaho Rural Council
Idaho’s Bounty Co-op
Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming
Just Food Co-op (MN)
Lane County Food Policy Council (OR)
Local Harvest
Long Beach Grows (CA)
Lost River Market & Deli Co-op (IN)
Maryland Organic Food and Farming Association
Maryland Small Farm Cooperative
Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation
Massachusetts Smallholders Alliance
Maui Aloha Aina Association (HI)
Michigan Land Trustees
Michigan Land Use Institute
Missouri Rural Crisis Center
Montana Cattlemen’s Association
Montana Farmers Union
Montana Organic Association
Moscow Food Co-op (ID)
National Family Farm Coalition
Natural Environmental Ecological Management
Nebraska Food Cooperative
Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
Neighborhood Co-op Grocery (IL)
New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation
North Missoula Community Development Corporation (MT)
Northern Plains Resource Council (MT)
Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network
Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-Op (CA)
Oregon Farmers Market Association
Oregon Rural Action
Organic Consumers Association
Organization for Competitive Markets
PCC Natural Markets
Powder River Basin Resource Council (WY)
Raw Milk Association of Colorado
R-CALF USA
Red Lodge Farmers Market (MT)
Rising Tide Community Market (ME)
River Market Community Co-op (MN)
Rochester Good Food Co-op (MN)
Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative (CA)
Second Chance Foundation (NY)
Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ND)
Slow Food – Austin (TX)
Small Farmer’s Journal
Small Farms Conservancy
South Agassiz Resource Council (ND)
South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
St. Johnsbury Food Coop (VT)
Sustainable Food Center (TX)
Swarthmore Co-Op (PA)
Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
The Growing Community (IN)
The Second Chance Foundation (NY)
Three Rivers Market (TN)
Tuscaloosa Property Rights Alliance (AL)
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op (CA)
Upper Valley Food Co-Op (VT)
Valley Organic Growers Association (CO)
Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association
Western Colorado Congress
Western Organization of Resource Councils
Western Wake Farmers’ Market (NC)
Weston A Price Foundation
Whole Foods Co-op (MN)
Willmantic Food Co-op (CT)