Frontlines Fact from the NRDC

I've been a member of the NRDC for several years now. I receive their onearth magazine and with the bevy of other reading material I inevitable have in front of me, it usually takes me a while to get around to reading through it. I noticed this little factoid they threw in the middle of an article called "Voyage of the Sorcerer", which in in of itself deserves a blog entry.

"200 state food-safety and public-health protections were removed in April [2006] by the National Uniformity for Food Act. Since 2000 the American food industry has contributed more than $81 million to congressional campaigns."

onearth, Volume 28, Number 2, Pg. 9

"What" you might ask, "is the National Uniformity for Food Act"
You might need some time for this if you don't already know about it.

Read the speeches that were given in the House HERE

HERE'S what the Food Industry had to say about their victory.

HERE'S what the Organic Consumers Association had to say.

HERE'S what the Sierra Club had to say.

As far as I can gather, H.R 4167 makes states comply to federal law inre: food safety. Example: if California law says that the allowable level of mercury in fish is .05mg and the federal level is 5mg, the federal law supercedes the state law. There are other aspects to this law, but basically, consumers and states get the shaft. Guess who supports this law? Yeah, mostly republicans and the food industry. Who opposes? Democrats and Consumer advocacy and protection groups. Did it pass? UNFORTUNATELY, YES. Basically, the food industry is LESS accountable than before. Lovely. Of course, if most people knew about this when it was happening, they probably would have called their representatives and said "VOTE NO!". I mean, who wants to eat contaminated or dangerous food? I can't think of anyone (unless they were pathological or suicidal) that would want to eat things that could kill them or harm their children.

The word "DUH!" comes to mind here… and a double dose of that to me for not knowing about this when it was happening.

CURRENT MUSIC: The Raconteurs: Broken Boy Soldiers