The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) has launched a statewide campaign to increase support for local food producers, businesses and communities. Register at nc10percent.com and pledge to spend 10% on foods produced or grown locally; or grow your own! Encourage your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors to join the 10% Campaign and expand North Carolina’s local food economy while enjoying the greatness of North Carolina food. Make the Choice. Make a Difference. Make it Local.

We Need Your Help to Get the Tester Amendments Included in S.510
Tell Your Senators To Protect Small Farms and Food Businesses

The food safety amendment, S.510, as written, offers a one-size fits-all approach that would place a heavy burden on smaller food producers. The Tester-Hagan Amendment (Jon Tester, D-MT and Kay Hagan D-NC) would exempt small farms and processing facilities from federal regulations, instead they would continue to be regulated by state standards.

S.510 is slated for a cloture vote on November 17th when Congress reconvenes after the election. Now is the time for our community to act.

The bill has many improvements over prior food safety bills, thanks to you. Grassroots calls and letters convinced the Senators negotiating the bill to work with CFSA and other sustainable ag organizations across the country to protect healthy, local, organic food and farming from crushing and unnecessary regulation. Congratulations on these victories. CFSA will publish a summary of these strong provisions soon.

One Giant Task Remains!

We still need to get one key amendment to the bill. Consumer groups and the bill sponsors have worked with Sen. John Tester of Montana, an organic farmer, to develop language that prohibits FDA from imposing:

(1) additional produce regulations on small farms, and
(2) industrial-sized safety plans on small food businesses

NC Senator Kay Hagan has endorsed the Tester amendment, and we should thank her for that. NC Senator Richard Burr is a co-sponsor of S.510, and has worked to improve it to protect small farms and businesses. But more needs to be done!

ACT NOW!

Brief History
The pending Food Safety Modernization Act (S.510) was crafted in March 2009 in response to growing concerns over food safety. The main goal of this bill, still being considered by the Senate, is to give the FDA new authorities and resources to prevent food safety issues. S.510. While there is broad agreement on the need to improve food safety and support for much of the bill, the bill threatens small and mid-size farmers and processors due to its one-size-fits all approach.

Ferd Hoefner, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) policy director, emphasized the need for size appropriate regulation in NSAC’s October 20 press release, “It is critical that as we ramp up food safety protections we do not inadvertently create economic havoc for our family farmers or shut down new investments in local and regional food systems that are vital to economic recovery, public health, and nutritional wellbeing.”

The Tester Amendment, introduced by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and co-sponsored by Senator Kay Hagan’s (D-NC), proposes size appropriate alternative for farmers and processor. Many organic and sustainable food and farming advocates support adding the Tester Amendment language to S.510 as well as the Manager’s Amendment.

Source: ncga.coop

On November 2, 2010, the USDA revealed its plans to approve genetically modified (GMO) beets in time for 2011planting. This move would nullify the August federal court ruling that it was illegal to sell or plant GMO sugar beets. For more info, see the 11/2/10 Wall Street Journal article.

Hearings on the issue are being held this week (week of 11/1) and an Environmental Assessment (EA) is expected to be released this week or next. The USDA will open a 30-day comment period before the department makes a final decision. The Center for Food Safety will be issuing talking points and an action alert in the coming days.

Source: ncga.coop

Download the Non-GMO Shopping Guide

Brought to you by the Non-GMO Project
Working together to protect safe and healthy non-GMO choices

What are GMOs?
GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

Are GMOs safe?
In 30 other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs, because they are not considered proven safe. In the U.S. on the other hand, the FDA approved commercial production of GMOs based on studies conducted by the companies who created them and profit from their sale. Many health-conscious shoppers find the lack of rigorous, independent, scientific examination on the impact of consuming GM foods to be cause for concern.

Do Americans want non-GMO foods and supplements?
Polls consistently show that a significant majority of North Americans would like to be able to tell if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs (a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87% of consumers wanted GMOs labeled). And, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, 53% of consumers said they would not buy food that has been genetically modified. The Non-GMO Project’s seal for verified products will, for the first time, give the public an opportunity to make an informed choice when it comes to GMOs.

How common are GMOs?
According to the USDA, in 2009, 93% of soy, 93% of cotton, and 86% of corn grown in the U.S. were GMO. It is estimated that over 90% of canola grown is GMO, and there are also commercially produced GM varieties of sugar beets, squash and Hawaiian Papaya. As a result, it is estimated that GMOs are now present in more than 80% of packaged products in the average U.S. or Canadian grocery store.

Where does the Non-GMO Project come in?
The Non-GMO Project is an initiative of the North American organic and natural product industry to create a standardized definition of non-GMO and a 3rd party verification program to assess product compliance with this Standard. The Project’s Product Verification Program is entirely voluntary, and participants are companies who see the value of offering their customers a verified non-GMO choice. Many of the individuals and businesses leading the way with the Project are the same ones responsible for creating the original organic standards. The Project’s Consumer Pledge is a way for the public to show their support of companies and products participating in the Non-GMO Project. http://www.nongmoproject.org/consumers/consumer-pledge/