Draft languagefor the 2007 Farm Bill reauthorization, currently under consideration by the House Committee on Agriculture, includes an amendment which would "prevent a State or locality from prohibiting an article the Secretary of Agriculture has inspected and passed, or an article the Secretary has determined to be of non-regulated status" (to see, click on the first link above, then under Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry click on Title I - Section by Section Analysis and scroll down to Sec. 123).
The Organic Consumers Association has noted:
[Boswell's] intention is to prohibit state and local policies banning the sale of products approved by USDA and other regulatory agencies. The broad scope of the language would affect state and local prohibitions on the cultivation of genetically modified crops, bans on the sale of rBGH milk, and the outlawing of foie gras for starters. . . .
(snip)
In addition, the preemption language raises concerns that states would be barred from taking action when a food safety threats arise. For example, states could be barred from calling for recalls or prohibiting the sale of tainted meats, peanut butter, or other foods that have passed USDA inspection. Advocates favoring the preemption language include United Egg Producers, National Pork Producers, National Milk Producers Federation, and the National Cattleman's Beef Association.
Please contact your your own Representative and also members of the Agriculture committee and Nancy Pelosi urging that this provision, introduced by the Subcommittee's chair Leonard Boswell (D IA-03) be stripped from the Farm Bill.
In addition to Boswell, members of the Agricultural Committee:
DEMOCRATS:
Peterson, C (MN-07), Chair
Baca, J (CA-43)
Barrow, J (GA-12)
Boyda, N (KS-02)
Cardoza, D (CA-18)
Costa, J (CA-20)
Cuellar, H (TX-28)
Davis, L (TN-04)
Donnelly, J (IN-02)
Ellsworth, B (IN-08)
Etheridge, B (NC-02)
Gillibrand, K (NY-20)
Herseth, S (SD-AL)
Holden, T (PA-17)
Kagan, S (WI-08)
Lampson, N (TX-22)
Mahoney, T (FL-16)
Marshall, J (GA-08)
McIntyre, N (NC-07)
Pomeroy, E (ND-AL)
Salazar, J (CO-03)
Scott, D (GA-13)
Space, Z (OH-18)
Walz, T (MN-01)
REPUBLICANS
Goodlatte, B (VA-06), Ranking Member
Bonner, J (AL-01)
Boustany, C (LA-07)
Conaway, M (TX-11)
Everett, T (AL-02)
Fortenberry, J (NE-01)
Foxx, V (NC-05)
Graves, S (MO-06)
Hayes, R (NC-08)
Johnson, T (IL-15)
King, S (IA-05)
Kuhl, R (NY-29)
Lucas, F (OK-03)
McCarthy, K (CA-02)
Moran, J (KS-01)
Musgrave, M (CO-04)
Neugebauer, R (TX-19)
Rogers, M (AL-03)
Schmidt, J (OH-02)
Walberg, T (MI-07)
Smith, A (NE-03)
Congressional switchboard: (202)224-3121, (202)225-3121