by: Marti Oakley and the PPJ Alliance
Update: On page 7, there is the whole list of “best practices” On the surface this would seem to be about giving grant money, and they are focusing on “small and medium size farms and processors. (Why don’t they train and educate the BIG PRODUCERS causing the food safety problems?!)
Anyhow, at a glance, I’m bothered that most definitions will be “determined by the Secretary” or “meaning given by the Secretary”
I’m really bothered that the “Agricultural Producer Group” (and what is their purpose – are they a board of some sort to advise?) seems like it might consist of BigAg since the wording is so vague. Dee West
Happy Holidays!
Another special gift from congress just in time for the 2009 Holiday Season!
S.2758: “The National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach and Technical Assistance Program Act.”
- S2758 introduced by Debbie Stabenow (MI) with co-sponsors:
- Bingaman (NM),
- Boxer (CA),
- Gillibrand (NY),
- Leahy (VT),
- Merkley (OR),
- Sanders (VT).
I have no doubt this bill is nothing less than the consolidation of S510 and HR 2749 and if presented as such, it may not be necessary to refer it back to any committee for further debate. I suspect it will simply be introduced in the middle of the night and passed with tons of added pork barrel spending and arm twisting.
At this point I suppose we should be encouraging all of you to write or call your senators and representatives, but as we don’t have millions of dollars to contribute to political campaigns, nor are we in a position to have six highly paid lobbyists for each and every elected official we already know they have no time for us. None of them will answer your calls, respond to your letters or in any way give any time or attention to your concerns. They’ll do whatever they are paid to do and then collect a nice big fat salary from us on top of that.
THIS IS YOUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK; THIS IS YOUR GOVERNMENT WORKING AGAINST YOU! More
The PPJ Gazette 