Two Proposed Bills That Really Need Your Attention
Sharon New February 24th, 2010
Well, it’s that time of year again – yes, the Maryland Legislature is in session. I received this alert earlier this week and wanted to pass it along. Please consider contacting your Delegate about supporting HB 1070 (cross-filed as SB 912). Background: Existing federal law allows farmers to sell up to 20,000 farm-processed chickens, turkeys and rabbits directly to consumers in their home state each year without inspection. But the MD Department of Health and Mental Hygiene imposes an unnecessary restriction requiring these products to be sold on the farm. MD requires poultry and rabbit sales at farmers’ markets to be processed in a USDA inspected facility even though the meat is exempt from USDA inspection. Since there are no USDA poultry processing facilities in MD that accept birds from independent growers, small farms in Maryland are left no option of selling poultry and rabbit to consumers at farmers markets. This law would exempt poultry and rabbit sales at farmers markets from permitting & licensing. This law would only apply to producers and meat that qualify for the federal exemption. Wouldn’t it be great to get poultry at our Farmer’s Market along with great eggs? Please go here to contact the committee members of the Health Government Operations Committee and express your support of this bill. Feel free to use this language if you’d like:
“I support HB1070 and SB912, introduced by Del. Shank and Senator Brinkley Please vote FOR HB1070 or SB912. As a Marylander who shops at farmers markets, it is important that we have access to our farmers’ chickens at these local markets. Thank you for your support.”
The second bill I would like to draw your attention to, however, is not as encouraging. Senator John McCain is sponsoring the Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA) of 2010. In fact, on Monday, he defended his DSSA by stating that “opponents of the bill and their well-paid Washington lobbyists” who have “spread false statements and rumors about the legislation…” Of course, it’s hard for me to imagine supplement companies having more lobbying power and money than the FDA and pharmaceutical companies. Please go here to read more about the background of the bill and to take action.
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