Messages from two sources, just so you can see what is at stake. Please call or click now! From: Angela Hofmann Sent: Monday, November 15, 2010 11:12 AM To 'Ruth Ryals'; Subject: Help Small Farmers Please help support local small farmers by writing to Senator Brown and Senator Kerry and pass along this information!! Thanks, Angela _____ From: Mass Farmers Markets [mailto:news@massfarmersmarkets.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Mass Farmers Markets Sent: Monday, November 15, 2010 10:18 AM To: angelahofmann@comcast.net Subject: Urgent Action Before 11/17 to Help Small Farmers Having trouble viewing this email? Click here <http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=xolyrwbab&v=001yFZRqoHoI _CYwWtALvuWvwKb6u68S5kZ-i7B_3xgu_i5tl-8JdLyHLqTCUzF2Am-w4EIOoKWrZKji9YcpdAkO -xH0a7hxhBvzJbw_KUfAPl_Lu3KciQLrJ6FzI4QsYkklqjYldIvpX2WGy2TojrxgXjtHoVeDCnpo e5LVMdn-Lr4SjC7BTJ-61baMeujdPXT9sBE4K8WjwWbuPek66puwVpM9BZpV8v-rTce4QaaRc3k8 dtYvfSZJ4WD7pm3iSkUH4Pg3dY26uOc0lquhHe2i3xWed5NmieW> <http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_left.png> <http://s.rs6.net/t?e=5B9N6vpZ8jk&c=1&r=1> <http://s.rs6.net/t?e=5B9N6vpZ8jk&c=3&r=1> <http://s.rs6.net/t?e=5B9N6vpZ8jk&c=4&r=1> <http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_divider.png> <http://s.rs6.net/t?e=5B9N6vpZ8jk&c=5&r=1> <http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_right.png> <http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Urgent-Action-Before-11-17-to-Help-Small -Farmers.html?soid=1101342191063&aid=5B9N6vpZ8jk#fblike> Stand Up for your Farmer Dear Farmers Market supporter, Large corporate players in the US food system are pushing for a "one size fits all" Food Safety bill which will benefit them while harming small producers. We need you to contact Senator Brown <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=xolyrwbab&et=1103923500310&s=5249&e=0011zucQ1 sdZIeOadHwr7dYzIVR22uoK8scSh_C3h40-YKcQkNzU0uiG5Qcawe9DAQoe3cRmchqIPRFQS86ZF u_-1LuVTx09w0uTsHe7qvZat_ouFwvvGmumM3nN71_4ZoSnmWkdKrTfLqBTTaU1SxxGEJmfWec2d -X> and Senator Kerry <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=xolyrwbab&et=1103923500310&s=5249&e=0011zucQ1 sdZIdbpPKmvQmItNMy5MNruxW_fM_udquQYOqTFsvSABXeiQ2Q2Ea0WsMYD9pj4rtp6yVJxqoPyX kpUStbFMeBdnhIb6Xwvj-RiWkhUodPyvN-o7lSviMOmyxN> before this Wednesday, November 17th and urge them to support two amendments to the bill which are essential to protecting the small, local farms we all value. Debate and voting on The Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) is set to begin on the Senate floor on November 17th. Recent issues of food safety have exposed weaknesses in the industrialized food system and this bill takes important steps to improve corporate food safety rules. However, its current form it is not appropriate for the small farms and food producers that provide you with your local food. The inside track: Mega food businesses, largely from California and Florida, are pushing for a "one size fits all" bill because such a bill is very much in their competitive interest. As S.510 stands it will put many small farms out of business. The bill also sets a flat regulatory fee. This means a $100 billion global food giant pays the same $500.00 fee to the US government as the small farm near you, even if that farm that grosses just a few thousand dollars a year (or less). This just doesn't make sense to us. The net effect: it provides "mega food" an opportunity to wrestle more control of your choice of foods away from you and to give it to them when it comes to your choice of food. Two amendments will be offered when S. 510 comes to the floor and both are essential to protect the small, local farms we all value: . The Manager's Amendment . The Tester-Hagan Amendment In combination they provide for size and practice appropriate regulation that will keep small farmers farming safely. Please tell our Senators to ensure the amendments are adopted because size and practice appropriate food safety regulation is vital to economic recovery, public health, food security, and your wellbeing. It is imperative that you make your stand now. The Senate is our last chance to correct the bill's flaws because efforts to amend the house version of this bill were thwarted by political maneuvering. In short, the bill failed to pass the house with the required majority because of the public demand for size and practice appropriate legislation. When that happened, House leadership called a vote to suspend the rules (read violate normal protocols for passing legislation), prevented amendments to fix the bill, and pushed the bill through the House with only the slimmest of margins. More details and information may be found from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=xolyrwbab&et=1103923500310&s=5249&e=0011zucQ1 sdZIcjPbMG-9VlcM8YVqyuQeW_U-FTBCy1BhHBHH_mzU8ao2buOq9wfhzRc2HlgZNXVHagI51C5n WrlFaqKsPrZEwYWDpJ15-LJCQdH_jSAIYkyw9T7Dxuu0iHGFqsGcwTIMVUMvqURz9ZGuuVYZS4I8 k9ep4f7djKxZ66bfWnucBvNA==> . Sincerely, Mass Farmers Markets <mailto:Drew@massfarmersmarkets.org> 240 Beaver Street Waltham, MA 02452 (781) 893-8222 Forward email <http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=xolyrwbab&m=1101342191063&ea= angelahofmann%40comcast.net&a=1103923500310> <http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=xolyrwbab&v=001_D6q8SmIH1q mkaXYZG5g3eOhHws402ZEHXlijp6HV02qKubQgERcI0DWTlNcC6JHSwVdb5vsfCY%3D&p=un> Safe Unsubscribe This email was sent to angelahofmann@comcast.net by staff@massfarmersmarkets.org. 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