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
