HR 875, Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 organic food

(Borganic.org) The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 also known as bill HR 875 sounds reasonable on the surface. With the rise in food borne illnesses and outbreaks of contaminated food, the idea of creating a government body that would modernize and oversee our food safety could be quite useful. Except when the bill has the power to end organic and small farming as we know it, except when the bill would actually make the practices of small producers vulnerable to regulations controlled by large, agri-business companies. Except when it’s these small producers who continue to consistently provide safe foods.

At a time when small producers are actually growing and raising the safest foods possible, we must question who is behind a bill that is actually targeting these farmers. When spinach, including organic spinach, was recalled nationally due to contaminated water in the fields, locally grown, sustainably farmed organic spinach continued to be available. Why? Because sustainable farming practices are just that sustainable. They don’t compete with sewer run off that contaminates fields. The same happened with peanuts and tomatoes. Those who purchase their foods from small, local sources continued to nourish themselves with healthy foods, without the threat of illness that can be traced, so often, back to the large agri-business food companies. Yes, even the large organic producers.

While choosing organic food is almost always a better choice than conventional, sustainably farmed foods from local producers can also present for good choices. Sometimes larger producers decide to switch their production to organic, and they deserve praise for reducing detrimental chemical runoff into streams and waterways, and poisons in our air and directly on our food. And, as I’ve written before,organic is healthier. But let’s not confuse organic with sustainable. A large single crop farm grown without chemicals is certainly a step up from conventional and many steps up from genetically modified crops, but small, multi-crop producers who use sustainable practices are going to be able to offer safer, healthier foods, while contributing to the local economy in a much more meaningful way.

We can all breath a momentary sigh of relief that HR 875 did not pass, but as with most things in congress, they do not go away easily. Let’s keep our eyes on this one and make sure the lobbyists behind this bill don’t get their way.

By Author: Stephanie Robbins

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