gandhi flower: 2/1/10

The words of Roscoe Bartlett, House of Representatives: "On July 30, 2009, H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 was passed in the House by a recorded vote of 283 - 142. The problems in the Georgia peanut processing plant and the concerns with imported foods highlight the need for enhanced food safety laws [but] this bill missed the mark. Instead was aimed at the farming community. Specifically, there were concerns regarding the role of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulating farms which would not contribute to a safer food supply but would rather increase costs to farms and ultimately the American public. I was told that many of my concerns were addressed but since a final version of the bill was not available for serious review before the vote was called, I felt I could not support it".

Michelle Obama's call; "Its time to Make Healthy Food for all America's Children" is nobel. But farmer's know where healthy food comes from: seeds planted in nutrient rich soil. The issue has long since been ignored and America's farms have been neglected by US Government Agriculture Policy, if not targeted for extinction. Where we are today is defending the last of the soil-rich family farms from bills like HR 2749; the increased regulation on community farms.

We do need healthful food in schools and we do need to address childhood obesity, but we need to start with creating a system of agriculture to produce the food that once and for all places importance on the healthfulness of food not the profit it yeilds. One is growing, all on its own right now but in the lihgt of soon to pass legislation we can kiss it good-bye and see a future dominated by the Monsanto Movment. School lunches will work out just fine is we protect and encourage local, chemical free farming.

We can support the growing food movement by buying produce at farmer's markets and from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). You should be aware however, at Farmer's Markets large food retailers, the ones that sell food to Safeway, Albertsons; National Grocery chains also sell at Farmer's Markets. Its important that everybody be aloud to participate in farmer's market but we need to know who is a farmer and who is a corporation.Capitalism is a means to get food to the table, not the other way around. There is areason people go to farmer's markets and not grocery stores.

Michelle Obama is creating the demand for healthful food while the legislators are increasing the costs. Its classic American Capitalism and no change at all. If we care about the food in our schools we'd look into the reason there is junk in cafeterias in the first place: Healthy Food is TOO EXPENSIVE and the system of Government has invested far more in war than our children's education (fact). New legislation will make healthful food even more expencive, if not gone entirly form the market.