US Outlawing organic farming

[Labyrinth]

US House and Senate are about (in a week and a half) to vote on bill that will OUTLAW ORGANIC FARMING (bill HR 875). There is an enormous rush to get this into law within the next 2 weeks before people realize what is happening.

Main backer and lobbyist is (guess who) Monsanto - chemical and genetic engineering giant corporation. This bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by the newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply". This will include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales.

If this passes then NO more heirloom clean seeds but only Monsanto genetically altered seeds that are now showing up with unexpected diseases in humans.

There is a video on the subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thE54K3PaTY

And another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeWVkTU1s1E

The name on this outrageous food plan is Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (bill HR 875).

This was taken from an email I received from one of the activist networks here in Australia. It intrigued me, so I figured I'd share.

I think this is both interesting and irritating. I can't help but wonder at the industry drivers behind this particular shift. Could it perhaps be the companies who manufacture genetically modified seeds or the pesticides themselves? Speculation seems to be my only route to answers because god knows that any implication would be strategically denied.

Organic food may be more of a risk for the farmer's profit, but if they wish to put up with that, it's their call.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

What the hell? Now we are required to put poison on our food? Well, the people lobbying for this may kindly go fuck themselves.

 

[bodyklok]

As if the recession was not enough, now people can't even grow their own food!

 

[CIA]

I will be dragging Monsanto officials from their cars and beating them with led pipes.

EDIT: After searching the bill I don't see anything that prohibits organic farming outright. After that I looked around to find out if Monsanto had anything to do with the bill. It appears they don't. This is all tentative; I still have very little clue whats going on.
http://crooksandliars.com/nonny-mouse/monsanto-and-hr-875-take-two
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/the-hr-875-food-safety-mo_b_183096.html
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875

I will still be beating Monsanto officals with led pipes.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I'll wait until I learn more about the issue before I pass judgment. Always good to get information from a variety of sources.

 

[Dragonrabbit]

Wha!? Really? Really? Don't insecticides and chemical sprays pose a risk too? Why in God's name would you ban organic farming!?

 

[Thanatos34]

This makes no sense at all. Are we sure that is what this does?

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

What the hell? Now we are required to put poison on our food? Well, the people lobbying for this may kindly go fuck themselves.

When you say "required" I hear "gently encouraged". And when you say "poison" I hear "magic chemicals that make all food safer and more delicious".

In all seriousness, I'm a giant fan of this bill. I love how our political system can take a blatant measure to stamp out competition in the food industry by a growing body of organic food producers and then slap on a friendly label that everyone can get behind. Really, it's the naming of the bills that always amuses me the most. Who's going to say no to the Food Safety Act? You'd have to be some kind of monster who doesn't ever think of the children.

 

[kewlrabbit]

Is this real? Kind of strikes me as one of those fake e-mails people like to forward. If it's real then fuck Monsanto, seriously. That's garbage.

 

[LilGherkin]

Well, with organic farming we have a lot less people getting to eat because it's so hard to do, and it goes at a higher price than regular food. Plus the fertilizers keep us from nasty bugs and diseases that could possible reside inside said organic food. Also a lot more manure is used to fertilize the organic food which has more health risks. Eight percent of the E. coli cases in the U.S. come from organic foods.

I say approve the bill.

 

[Uszi]

I'll wait until I learn more about the issue before I pass judgment. Always good to get information from a variety of sources.

Yeah... This sounds, a little ridiculous. I'm not getting up in arms until I hear a little more on the issue.

And my guess is that even if the law passes, it would be swiftly vetoed by the President, especially for the amazing PR he would get for it.

If it gets past the president, then I don't know how long it would survive before someone takes it up with some court. I find it hard to believe that the government will restrict the freedom of Americans for relatively unsound reasons.

 

[Dragonrabbit]

Eight percent of the E. coli cases in the U.S. come from organic foods.

And the other ninety-two percent?

 

[The Legendary Phoenix]

That is so jacked up o.0
I'm slowly starting to lose faith in my country. T_T

 

[crimson5pheonix]

/fail. This would be sad, but I don't really eat organic food all that much, I still don't like it. As far as my own plants are concerned, how are they going to regulate my use of pesticides and fertilizers? It's like saying you must use the missionary position at least once per sexual encounter, are they going to stand there and watch? Is the CDC or whomever gets put in charge of this going to come around and test my soil?

 

[Erana]

How will I explain my illegal tomatoes to the neighbors?
Seriously, WTF?!

We obviously aren't even vaguely a democracy at this point.
That's it, I'm getting out of here!

...Hey, Tess, do you have a spare sofa?
I can cook...

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Well, with organic farming we have a lot less people getting to eat because it's so hard to do

You throw some seeds in the ground and occasionally water them. It's not exactly rocket science, although there is some science involved if you are checking soil fertility (Acidity and organic matter, yay.)

Does seem pretty stupid, but there are a lot of absolutely ridiculous bills concerning agriculture and farming.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Eight percent of the E. coli cases in the U.S. come from organic foods.

And the other ninety-two percent?

In my area? IHOP.

 

[LilGherkin]

Eight percent of the E. coli cases in the U.S. come from organic foods.

And the other ninety-two percent?

Bad cooks at restaurants and at home. Mold disease from improperly stored food substances.

 

[icnfde]

Why in God's name would you ban organic farming!?

It's all about the C.R.E.A.M.

I highly doubt this will pass, no matter how hard they try.

It's like saying you must use the missionary position at least once per sexual encounter, are they going to stand there and watch?

Hahaha, I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[lacktheknack]

Start probing for loopholes people. Or maybe a small uprising would do.