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Sandra @ Thistle Cove Farm
www.thistlecovefarm.com
www.thistlecovefarm.blogspot.com

URGENT Contact Your Representative - HR 2749 House Vote
on Tuesday!

The House of Representatives is scheduled for a vote on HR 2749 (The
Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009) on Tuesday, July 28 (tomorrow).
HR 2749 will be voted "on suspension", meaning that debate will be
limited to 40 minutes and no amendments will be considered. A
two-thirds vote will be required for HR 2749 to pass. The
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is asking everyone to contact their
U.S. Representatives requesting that they vote against HR 2749.

Industrial food processors and food imports need effective regulation,
but this should not be done at the expense of the 'local food system.
HR2749 will impose burdensome regulations on small farmers and local
food producers including registration fees and extensive paperwork
requirements for which many small food businesses will not have the
resources to comply. The 'local food system' is not the source of the
food safety problems in this country, small farmers and local artisanal
producers are part of the solution.

HR 2749 would reduce FDA's accountability while significantly
increasing its power. The bill would empower FDA to conduct
warrantless searches of business records without any evidence
whatsoever that a violation has occurred, to order a quarantine
prohibiting or restricting the movement of food in a geographic area.
HR 2749 also creates severe criminal and civil penalties with the
potential for substantial fines for even minor violations of the law.

Urge your Representative to vote against HR 2749 and support a food
safety bill that will target imports and industrial foods while leaving
small farmers and local food producers alone.

Three Ways to Contact your Representative:
1. Sign two petitions: FTCLDF Petition http://bit.ly/Oppose_HR2749
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001kHipKRIdvomQcV1uxBvo\
4_1NC6K5OxYdrPpJJ7zcgUpMLgYVKT51YQjcm9Uj8FMW78vyjbz2I8Fwv61ucnLVnc16lNyZ\
kQRHb1K7lxTqh7TIbSqAi8qbKg==<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001\
kHipKRIdvomQcV1uxBvo4_1NC6K5OxYdrPpJJ7zcgUpMLgYVKT51YQjcm9Uj8FMW78vyjbz2I8Fwv61u\
cnLVnc16lNyZkQRHb1K7lxTqh7TIbSqAi8qbKg==>>
and AAHF Petition http://bit.ly/g6IJT
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001kHipKRIdvonDQ3cuWliQ\
ljHKuTjH8Nxl0iQ5zc8xlzg330zgmvf_9Ck5h6ySxqqhx9dnpKbdXskFPHzD2_4SW8sMDHZ1\
baR1kUFl7fKAVzc=<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001kHipKRIdvonD\
Q3cuWliQljHKuTjH8Nxl0iQ5zc8xlzg330zgmvf_9Ck5h6ySxqqhx9dnpKbdXskFPHzD2_4SW8sMDHZ1\
baR1kUFl7fKAVzc=>
>
2. Go to "My Elected Officials" at www.congress.org
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001kHipKRIdvonLG_H2Tycn\
qm_f1KgyN61mmuJAqy2Z6G4HGIluzCmk8mqHhfhMzo3KwiCqm2p9XzBNpOFKBFVoFR2PFSra\
Lin1GrunHnp9dg70VIjZn4E9RQ==<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102652247853&s=1401&e=001\
kHipKRIdvonLG_H2Tycnqm_f1KgyN61mmuJAqy2Z6G4HGIluzCmk8mqHhfhMzo3KwiCqm2p9XzBNpOFK\
BFVoFR2PFSraLin1GrunHnp9dg70VIjZn4E9RQ==>>
and enter your zip code to find your
legislators. Call and/or send a fax.
3. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to contact your
Representative's office.


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