The Government is banning organic Farming-Fiction!

The Government is banning organic Farming-Fiction!

 
Summary of eRumor:

A forwarded email warning of a congressional bill, HR 875, that the email claims will outlaw organic and back yard farming. The warning urges readers to quickly contact their elected representatives to request that they not pass the bill as it is being pushed through the process so it can be passed with two weeks.

 
The Truth:
The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (HR 875) is real.

The bill was introduced to Congress on February 4, 2009, sponsored by Connecticut’s Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro  and was referred to Energy and Commerce as well as the Agriculture committees.   Click for LOC Bill information, legislation text and status.

Opponents of the bill, such as a group that calls itself Democracy in Action, say this bill will the legislation will suppress organic farming and natural food production.  They contend that, if passed this bill will criminalize seed banking resulting in the prison terms or fines for farmers.  Using terms like “planned elimination of farmers”, their concerns include possible the introduction of GPS tracking of livestock and warrant-less government  searches.

Critics also say that DeLauro’s husband, Stan Greenberg, is linked with a corporate proponent of the bill, Monsanto.

The passage of this bill would create a Food Safety Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services in order to prevent and reduce food-borne illness by regulating how food products are treated to rid them of contamination.

A spokesperson for Congresswoman DeLauro told Truthorfiction.com that these claims are false and that a myths and facts information sheet on HR 875 has been posted on her web site.  Click for Rep. DeLauro HR 875 fact sheet.

DeLauro’s fact sheet says that her Stanley B. Greenberg has never worked for Monsanto or conducted surveys for them in the past decade.  Greenberg, according to his bio, is CEO of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner but also lists Monsanto as a past corporate client.

updated 4/3/09