Kitchen Freedom

So, usually I like to steer clear of politics, but I feel some of the bills on the table right now could severely impact our ability to have “freedom” in our food selection. While I'm sure we all have different convictions about what exactly is healthy, and or not, we all have the right to make those decisions for our families. We have the power to decide where we buy our meat from, and same goes for our produce. Small farms have the right to raise their animals in a way they see fit and best for the animal. The farmers and we as consumers have the freedom to pick what our animals have been feed, and what our produce has or has not been sprayed with. Personally, I like that freedom!

All of these things could change, however, if some of the proposed bills are passed through the house and congress. (disclaimer: I'm not blaming the Obama administration for any of these bills, many of terrible national regulations on small farms were started under the bush administration, and I don't blame him either, it is just an awful circumstance that will affect the whole nation, not just republicans or democrats, but our rights as citizens. So regardless of your political affiliation, this will affect you!)

Food, essential to our survival and health. No one can live without it, and when you eat Nourishing foods that breath life into the body, it produces life and health. When food is consumed for pleasure, convenience, taste, or cheapness, one is simply missing the point, and laying the ground work for illness, disease, and a general lack of health. We aren't meant to sustain our bodies on Cheetos, and I would love to see someone try. There are so many issues surrounding our food supply in this country. We, as a nation, have quickly forgotten, that food ISN'T for pleasure, but for survival. Quality food is step one in preventing illness and disease, not our HMO provider or annual physicals. Having the choice and the freedom to put truly nourishing food on our tables for our families is a great honor, and we have had the freedom to do this in our country.

We can buy our locally grown, organic or not produce from the farmer down the street, or the CSA just outside the city. We can buy beef or chickens from whomever we choose. We can build a relationship with the small farmers and learn about their animals or crops and why they feed them the way they do. We can buy raw milk (a life giving food) from a farmer who is certified to sell it, without fear of imprisonment. We can buy and sell heirloom seeds without wondering is our neighbor will turn us in to the feds for “seed saving.” We have these freedoms. Why? Because no one, and I mean no one totally controls the food supply in this country. The individual states have the right to govern the laws surrounding the food production within their own state. The Federal Government does not.

With the proposed legislation coming up for vote in the house, this could all change. HR 875. Have you heard of it? Probably not. I don't say that to be mean, but it has received no mainstream media attention. In fact, if you Google the bill, there is not a single major national media outlet that has even mentioned it! Why do I think that this is so outrageous? Simple, the bill lays the ground work to eliminate organic farming in this country, and the small family farmer, all in one swoop. The bill alone will threaten our freedom as consumers to purchase food from whomever we chose. The bill will institute organization to make regulations for the entire country. The protocol they develop will be required on all farms, no matter how large or how small. The goal of this bill, so they say, is to maximize “safety” in the food supply. While that is a goal that looks nice on paper and one that we all should support, we need to take a look at what the implications of this bill really means.

Once food safety protocol is determined farmers will have to comply. The bill will allow for inspections of all farms at any point in time, and unannounced to make sure compliance with the regulations is occurring. So, farmers will loose their ability to determine what is best for their animals, how to treat an ill animal, or even what to feed their animal. Farmers know best, not the federal government. If the federal government decides it is safer to plant all Monsanto crops and use Monsanto pesticides, that is what will have to be done, all in the name of safety of course.

The big picture here. When someone controls what we all need to survive, they have gained control of you! This is a very very big deal. Think about Wars that have been fought throughout the world. When the food is seized, the “prisoners” have little say in what they can eat... The federal government has no business being in our kitchens, determining what we should feed our families, or our family cow for that matter. There is much more to be said about this piece of legislation, but in the name of brevity, I will stop here. Please, please visit the links for more information, and get involved. Send a letter to your senator or representative. (note: I'm not saying that the large factory farming operations don't need more food safety requirements, just think peanut outbreak, but it isn't right for them to take advantage of that incident to take control over all the farms and our food supply in this country.)

The Actual Bill H.R. 875

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Goodbye-farmers-markets-C-by-Linn-...

Monsanto's Dream Bill

Free Speech TV covering the Bill

Federal Take over of Food