The following is from an 'internet friend' - It's important to see what the
bill
really means
and to consider who is behind the 'anti bill'. Which way really benefits
Monsanto or does it not really matter to them?
My thoughts are not formulated. Opinions?
Arhata
On Fri, 4/3/09, Harry Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
There has been much adverse publicity about HR 875, a bill to
provide additional protection from food borne pathogens. I receive e-mails
almost daily about this 'terrible' bill..
I took time to read up on it. I found the opposite was true:
Our current food safety laws are not protecting us so much as the producers..
To better quantify the impact of foodborne diseases on health in the United
States, we compiled and analyzed information from multiple surveillance systems
and other sources. We estimate that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76
million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United
States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million
illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. Three pathogens,
Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, are responsible for 1,500 deaths each
year, more than 75% of those caused by known pathogens, while unknown agents
account for the remaining 62 million illnesses, 265,000 hospitalizations, and
3,200 deaths. Overall, foodborne diseases appear to cause more illnesses but
fewer deaths than previously estimated. -CDC
The hamburger you buy may have parts of thousands of cows making tracing the
bad meat impossible. Prions are the cause of mad cow disease and are not
regulated efficiently in the US today. In japan they test every cow, why not
here?
The status quo is not acceptable. Something must be done to improve and protect
our food supply.
The attacks on this bill say:
It will kill our backyard gardens and farmers markets.
My reading of the bill does not indicate that. The regulations and fines
have alot to do with imports and being able to track our food back to it's
source. Read the myths about the bill.
It does not go after imports.
It does.
It is written by Monsanto.
This bill is not Monsanto friendly since the existing relationships allowing
poor inspection and the importation of cheap and dangerous foodstuffs will be
halted. This cannot be done by fixing the current system. It must be rebuilt.
The sponsor of the bill, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, has a hidden agenda for
big business and is becoming the most hated woman in
America.
Actually she has a wonderful record of protecting us from big business. She
seems to be doing what she can while remaining a small voice in congress.
(Since she first came to Congress in 1990, Rosa DeLauro has put every pay raise
she has received toward the Ted DeLauro Scholarship, which she founded in
memory of her late father. To date, $478,000 has helped 478 students further
their education. In 2004, DeLauro also used the Congressional pay raise to
initiate the Maria Baez Perez Scholarship, established in the name of a former
staff person. Since that time, 38 area students have received $1,000
scholarships as well.) My take on the Congress Woman is that she is trying to
fight the tide of poor legislation and is on the side of the average person.
Her husband works for Monsanto.
Actually Stanley Greenberg, President of Greenberg-Quinlan Research works
for himself and his firm has done polling for Monsanto.
Read more. Myths about the Bill. Full Text of the Bill. Restructuring the
FDA.
39 Co-Sponsors
Rep. Shelley Berkley [D, NV-1]
Rep. Timothy Bishop [D, NY-1]
Rep. Sanford Bishop [D, GA-2]
Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]
Rep. Kathy Castor [D, FL-11]
Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
Rep. Peter DeFazio [D, OR-4]
Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
Rep. Eliot Engel [D, NY-17]
Rep. Anna Eshoo [D, CA-14]
Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
Rep. John Hall [D, NY-19]
Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]
Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
Rep. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]
Rep. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]
Rep. Chellie Pingree [D, ME-1]
Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
Rep. Linda Sánchez [D, CA-39]
Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
Rep. Mark Schauer [D, MI-7]
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D, NY-28]
Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
Rep. John Tierney [D, MA-6]
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D, FL-20]
Rep. Robert Wexler [D, FL-19]
Missing from the list of co-sponsors is:
Congressman Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2, friend of Monsanto.
Monsanto has a history of using the revolving door to gain infuence over
lawmakers.
..
If it is not a nefarious bill intended to remove our rights, why the well
funded and diverse ground swell of opposition?
I expect the propagators of all these myths to be big business because:
The bill would require importers to meet our standards for food safety.
The bill requires a separate organization for food safety and would move money
and resources to accomplish it.
The bill requires testing for prions.
The bill requires tracking of food so that recalls and destruction of
contaminated food could be carried out swiftly.
The bill moves safety regulations into the 21st century, updated from 1938.
The bill lays the ground work for going after bio engineered foods when proven
harmful to us or the environment. ( and I think that all will be found bad )
The bill has real teeth to go after repeat offenders and yet has real
protection for whistle blowers.
I contend that big agri-business and the food importers are fomenting this
hatred.
Have you read "Trust Us, We're Experts" How Industry Manipulates Science and
gambles with Your Future?
How do they succeed? By relying on the capacity of the non-reading public to
believe without investigation.
If you think I am wrong please provide proofs or at least evidence with your
comments.
Additional Reading:
Mad Cowboy
Diet For A Small Planet
Fast Food Nation
--- On Thu, 4/2/09, Harry Brown <sup...@gmail. com> wrote:
Date: Thursday, April 2, 2009, 1:49 PM
This is not a Monsanto bill and will not hurt organic farming or small growers.
Please review the details.
