Monsanto = evil incarnate.

Unfortunately our Federal Government is rife with Monsanto. Note former Monsanto exec Michael Tayor's new position as 'food czar' in the FDA. We are so f'ed.

Now, more importantly, how are Jon and Kate doing these days :-P

(by the way James McGovern is a co-sponsor of this bill) :-\

According to OpenCongress and GovTrack, the bill is stuck in a subcommittee. How do you know it's even going to make it out, never mind be put to a vote anytime soon?

I think it's a stupid bill, don't get me wrong, but the situation doesn't seem as dire as you make it sound.

(and re: your second post, nutritional value has little to do with food safety. The study was sponsored by the British government, not a trade group of any kind; I'm betting the timing of the article was coincidental but unrelated.)

By linking to the Monsanto Public Relations page you are either empty of any insight or trying to strengthen my argument by way of irony. Even there they admit Stanley Greenberg worked for Monsanto (but don't mention all the other cronies inside the FDA that are also tied to their payroll. Also, The Huffington Post is just a blog, an extremely slanted blog - not much more.

Sorry if anyone feels their time was wasted by reading a couple articles about the future of our food, but my post is to warn people enough to open their eyes and do some research for themselves. REAL RESEARCH along with common knowledge of the way lobbying and legislation works - as well as a basic understanding of the food industry is all it takes to be alarmed.

The call to action IS urgent.

Anyone who claims to advocate organic foods and "shops at all the organic markets" and still doesn't mind the government regulating and mandating the use of pesticides and other chemical agents is wasting a lot more than time on this issue...

Try running some searches on HR875 and HR2749 and reading the actual bills and then take a few minutes to actually use your own mind and think about the dangers these things pose to the future of food. Ponder the fact that these bills have deep impact, yet go through virtually unnoticed while we are force-fed Mike Jackson gossip non-stop for weeks on end...

Also - It's no coincidence that this article discounting the benefit (and necessity) of Organic food was released. This is to help sway people's opinions about organic agriculture. People who read these articles and believe them (like the guy quoting Monsanto's website) will then go on to believe that Organic food is not important enough to save.

Watch the "Future of Food" and "The World According to Monsanto" - run a google video search and you will find them. Both really great to share...

Do the world a favor and start noticing

Propaganda........
I am not sure the lobbyist for the big commercial seed company can pad enough pockets to get organic farming outlawed.

I wish our people were as committed as the rest of the world, in India farms are moving to organic farming at an astonishing rate....Here people are so hooked on chemical farms....Sad....

Over 100,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide due to their crops and their livelihood being destroyed after switching to Monsanto's genetically modified seeds. So it's a fair bet India is pretty motivated to return to 'organic farming'

just google 'india monsanto suicide'

Also note that this bill was introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT3]. Her husband is a lobbyist for Monsanto.

Please see the definition of "Organic Food" if you are still having problems seeing how this bill will affect organic farming.

Section 3 of H.R. 875 defines what type of establishments would be subject to the regulations in this legislation. It that section, a "food production facility" is defined this way:

The term ‘food production facility’ means any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation.

So that would include.....

*All organic farms
*All small farms
*All family farms
*Even small family gardens if you sell any produce to your neighbor at all

If you read this bill, you will see that it gives the government the power to regulate what is "safe" farming, and therefore if organic farmers are not using enough herbicide on their plants to be "safe" or they aren't following the same "quality control" procedures as the big guys they could be instantly put out of business.

Ask yourself how is it proposed the FDA (changing the name through this bill from the Food and Drug Admin to Food and DEVICE Admin) will "prevent food-borne illness”? Do you think this will include the use of antibiotics and other biological modifications? Will certain sprays be included in the “preventive measures” the bill keeps referring to? It sure will. Look into who makes these drugs and what they do to the animals and humans forced to ingest them over time...

Think about the added bureaucracy and added costs to farmers who will be forced to be registered under Sec 202 subsection (a), a food establishment shall submit a registration or re-registration to the Administrator. This loads small farmers with massive amounts of paperwork and administrative burdens that the big corporations can handle but small local farmers can't.

That is how you put a horde of small competitors out of business - you get the government to pile on the rules and burdens and regulations until they collapse...

Ernie - Good call on the India Monsanto Suicide reference. Another interesting counterpoint to the Monsanto propaganda someone here quoted:

http://www.lavidalocavore.org/diary/1819/monsanto-gives-food-inc-two-thumbs-down

The health care bill, H.R. 3200: America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, is another nightmare bill that needs to be stopped in my humble opinion. But that's another topic..