grow right

All right everybody, there’s work to be done.

Typically I keep myself to myself.  I worry about my family and what I can do that directly affects them.  But every once in a while something big comes up that I just feel I need to have a say on.  It seems, in the rush to protect the American flock, government is looking to pass a bill that directly hits the little guy.  The “you” and “me”.

Remember the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and the legislation to protect kids from lead?  That bill got passed so fast no one stopped to think what it would do to the independent artists, the libraries, the thrift stores and the economy, among other factors.  Similarly, a rush is on to pass a new bill.

HR 875 – Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 is described as legislature to protect our food supply.  But what is getting missed is how this will affect the family farmer, the organic gardener, my favorite farmer’s market (yup, it’s personal), the CSA’s and the little guys, amongst others.  From what I understand this bill is being pushed by the large agriculture companies such as Monsanto (a chemical and genetic engineering giant), Cargill and ADM.

I am not focused on whether this bill would increase the size of government or add more oversight to the processes and standards by which we live.  After all, just as I want to protect my children from lead paint poisoning so too do I want to save them from an unnecessary  e-coli or salmonella outbreak.  But we do need to go slow and consider the impact of how we get there.

There is a great deal of information available about this issue, some of it more broad based than others.  As I said, my focus is on how it affects the local farmers and organic produce that I consider integral to my family’s well being.  Please check out a well written post over at Nourished Kitchen which also tells the story.

Additionally you can:

• Read the full bill here: HR 875 – Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009.
• Contact your representative and inform them you oppose HR 875.
• Tweet this post and spread the word about HR 875.
• Blog about your opposition to HR 875.

As my friend Angela said about herself, I have a red thumb (total opposite of a green one).  But I still daydream about one day having a little vegetable patch of my own.  I’d hate to not be able to do that because of legislation that was passed without full review.

If you buy organic, go to a farmer’s market (even if it’s only to eat the samples) or daydream about your own little patch, please, take a minute, pick up the phone and speak your mind.  Speak to your representatives; if you want to speak to me feel free to spill your guts in the comments.