Lynn

This is definition 14 (it includes “any farm”)

(14) FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITY- The term ‘food production facility’ means any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.

Now read everything in…
Sec. 206. Food production facilities.

There is plenty in Sec. 206. that can become very problematic to small business organic farmers!

I think there is a matter of concept vs reality making a mess here. The bill isn’t good or bad. It is probably well intentioned, but extremely weak against the powers of companies such as Monsanto. In many ways I don’t mind giving the government powers of regulation if it was actually more powerful than the corporations it wants to regulate. Unfortunately the government is at the mercy of money and big agriculture businesses and bills like this can represent a serious hazard to all humans if they are not written extremely carefully.

This bill leaves US food production very susceptible to corruption and negative influence!

The short answer to the question is “No”

This has been floating around on the web for awhile…

This bill needs explicit language to protect small farmers from the FDA’s interpretation of the bill. For example:
“Rule of Interpretation

“No provision of this act shall be deemed to apply (a) to any home, home-business, homestead, small farm (including organic or natural) agricultural activity, social club, association, church, school or other local organization, (b) to any family farm or ranch, or (c) to any natural or organic food product, including dietary supplements regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.”

(This text copied from http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=2394)

This ‘Act’ is all about dramatically increasing federal power, rubbing out small businesses, forcing dependence upon unconstitutional federal agencies, unionizing farms, etc etc. Like most of the federal expansions in the last century, it depends upon the statists interpretation of the ‘Interstate Commerce Clause’, itself subject to constant misreading. However, if you read the bill carefully, you will find that an ICC connection is ‘presumed’ for all farms, whether or not they publicly engage in interstate commerce.

This bill creates one more enormous federal bureaucracy with vaguely defined ‘powers’; powers granted NOT by the constitution but by the government itself – an idea flying in the face of basic constitutional theory.

So let’s skip all the fence-sitting about what needs or does not need ‘regulation’. Let’s get to the point – this is yet another sneaky attempt by the new Congress and administration to vastly increase federal power in unconstitutional ways, by unconstitutional methods.

If you care nothing for the Constitution, perhaps you should consider what happened to the Russian small farms and farmers just after the Bolshevik revolution. They were all ordered on to the ‘Collective Farms’ (unionized, here?). Most simply refused. Millions were simply machine-gunned by the Bolshevik Communists. In fact, the killing simply dwarfed anything the Nazi murderers did.

If you think this kind of statist increase of federal power is ‘necessary’, you are perhaps living in the wrong country. Honor the constitution, or leave.

At the same time I am sanguine. If they ban organic seeds ( I think not) we’ll all buy what’s left before the enforcement begins. Plus, the day someone tries to jail me for growing a pesticide-free onion is going to be a day with much violence and mess. I welcome the Vegetable Police with the same attitude of defiance I would greet the Church Police with.

Outrage sounds exciting and makes you look important, but- I think a lot more READING of WORDS (yes, I know it’s hard but it’s how we learn) and less posturing is a good idea for everyone. Let’s make sure we’re all not just waving frantic hands at a new outrage because we’re bored with Iraq or whatever. Research, Learning, Thinking, Action- It’s a plan that works well for monkeys when they try it.

Finally- What is all this political crap about? Obama this and I told you so and you get what you deserve. IF YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT ONE PARTY IS ‘GOOD’ AND THE OTHER PARTY IS ‘BAD’, YOU’RE ONLY PROVING THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY IDIOTS IN THIS COUNTRY (that’s the REAL conspiracy). Everyone in a position of power dances to the tune of the biggest corporation- Which is why we’re all poor now. Come up with a new model or fight the system as it stands.

Keep focused on the issue.

Write your representatives- A lot.

Remain vigilant and ACT instead of talk when the time is right.

And BEWARE of what you read. There are plenty of ignorant windbags willing to stir up a panic over anything- Example: Rush Limbaugh says backyard gardens are a sign of Socialism! Is he a pill-popping imbecile? Yes. But it does explain my Leon Trotsky scarecrow and my love of RED peppers.