Re: Ralph Nader's Agriculture Policies

[Guest guest]

Now see, this is cool...this is relevant. I am a firm Bush republican

but I am definitely going to read more about Nader on this. My respect

for him just went up a couple of levels. Thanks for posting this.

On Sep 12, 2004, at 7:39 AM, RawDairy wrote:

>

> Message: 18

> Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 10:02:45 -0000

>

> Subject: Ralph Nader's Agriculture Policies

>

> This Policy describes what we are all agreeable on when it comes to

> politics. Why not Nader?!

>

> A Family Farm — Consumer Agricultural Policy

> American agriculture is being dominated by two contrary trends in the

> 21st Century. First, conventional family farm agricultural production

> is being destroyed by low prices and lack of market access due to

> mergers, acquisitions by big agribusinesses and their monopsony power

> over farmers. Second, there is a boom in more sustainable

> agricultural production and consumption due to increased consumer

> awareness and demand for healthy, fresh, and nutritious food. Federal

> policy must focus on the farm and food system as a continuum that

> provides many benefits. We must advance the production, marketing,

> use and disposal of food and fiber in accordance with consumer,

> environmental, worker and family farm standards of justice and

> sustainability. Additionally, we must challenge misallocation of

> resources caused by the growing concentration and wealth by

> agribusiness, chemical, biotechnology and financial corporations over

> the food and fiber economy. This entails shifting government policy

> to provide research and information relevant to independent food

> producers, organic farmers, insuring open and competitive markets,

> promoting new food infrastructures, and preventing pollution and

> degradation of natural resources.

[Guest guest]

We should try to clarify Ralph Nader's position on raw milk. In 1971

he founded the group Public Citizen. In 1984 Public Citizen sent:

#949 Petition to Secretary Margaret Heckler, HHS, to promulgate a

regulation banning all sales of raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk

products in the U.S. (4/84) l3pp.

Nader left the Public Citizen in 1980.

About Public Citizen:

Public Citizen is an independent voice for citizens in the halls of

power. We take NO government or corporate money. We also advocate

creation of an agricultural and food distribution system that

guarantees safe, wholesome food produced in a humane and sustainable

manner. Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy

organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in

Congress, the executive branch and the courts. We fight for openness

and democratic accountability in government, for the right of

consumers to seek redress in the courts; for clean, safe and

sustainable energy sources; for social and economic justice in trade

policies; for strong health, safety and environmental protections;

and for safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs and health

care.

Public Citizen has a division called the " Health Research Group "

headed by Dr. Sydney Wolfe. In 1996:

Testimony of Sidney M. Wolfe, MD, Before the House Subcommittee on

Health and the Environment Hearings on H.R.S 3199-3201. (HRG

Publication #1391)

Testimony of Sidney M. Wolfe, M.D. Director,

Public Citizen's Health Research Group

before the House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment

Hearings on H.R.s 3199-3201

May 2, 1996

Chairman Bilirakis and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the

opportunity to present testimony on this legislation.

As many of you know, our organization has continually been, for 25

years this November, the most outspoken critic of the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA). On more than 50 occasions we have submitted

petitions, occasionally resulting in lawsuits against the agency, to

ban or force warning labels on dangerous drugs or medical devices or

to require the agency to uphold its legal obligations concerning

other regulated products such as food dyes and raw (unpasteurized)

milk. Although we have not succeeded in getting the FDA to act on

some of these products, for most we have. Examples include the bans

of the arthritis drugs Oraflex and Tandearil, the painkiller Suprol,

the diabetes drug phenformin, Pfizer's Bjork-Shiley heart valve which

caused hundreds of deaths, and warning labels on aspirin for Reye's

syndrome and on tampons for toxic shock. Although some in industry

would not agree, our work is constructive criticism of the agency in

the form of petitions and, when necessary, lawsuits. In sharp

contrast is the legislation being considered here, which falls into

the category of destructive criticism of the FDA and which would

cripple its ability to adequately protect Americans from dangerous

drugs, medical devices and other products that the Agency regulates.

There is another group called The Council of States Governments who

want all the states to have uniform laws for the purpose of profit.

They also want all raw milk sales to be banned. Here is a little

about them:

Purpose:

CSG's trends efforts provide policy-makers across the country with

research, information and policy options on trends and solutions in a

range of policy fields. This research, analysis and project work is

designed to assist state officials in dealing with current policy

issues and to help decision makers better understand the potential

policy impacts of tomorrow.

State officials must govern in an environment of changing

demographics, global dynamics, economic conditions, political

conditions and technological developments. Some of the emerging

trends highlighted in May deal with teacher quality and retention,

global trade issues, fiscal federalism in light of state fiscal

problems and federal mandates and developments related to alternative

energy technology.

Links between Food Safety and Public Health: The National Research

Council has released a report saying that federal and state food

safety criteria need to be clearly linked to specific public health

goals using the latest scientific tools. It also calls for all states

to ban raw milk sales and for imported products to follow equivalent

safety practices for growing and harvesting as domestic.

How can we enlighten these organizations?

Cyndy

> This Policy describes what we are all agreeable on when it comes to

> politics. Why not Nader?!

[Guest guest]

I read somewhere that Nader was behind the push to get the PMO

(Pasteurized Milk Ordinance) adopted in all 50 states?

....if this is true, he would not be my choice for a leader!

-Blair

> This Policy describes what we are all agreeable on when it comes

to

> politics. Why not Nader?!

>

> A Family Farm — Consumer Agricultural Policy

> American agriculture is being dominated by two contrary trends in

the

[Guest guest]

> I read somewhere that Nader was behind the push to get the PMO

> (Pasteurized Milk Ordinance) adopted in all 50 states?

> ...if this is true, he would not be my choice for a leader!

That's sad, I think he is a good man and cares about people.

Obviously he is still a part of the mainstream science/medical/food

manufacturing dogma paradigm, as like everybody but us is :S

It's going to be hard to get people to stop believing that

" Doctors " (bow down before me) know everything

about health,when in actuality we know they know only which potions to dispense

to " treat " diseases with and nothing about helping people or about real

" health " .

I recently gave up membership in a group that I liked because there were so many

" pill " people and they kept talking about getting the right " meds " . *sigh*

I think the desire for health and healthful foods will be the next social

revolution. : -)

regards, Bruce

[Guest guest]

> I read somewhere that Nader was behind the push to get the PMO

> (Pasteurized Milk Ordinance) adopted in all 50 states?

> ...if this is true, he would not be my choice for a leader!

That's sad, I think he is a good man and cares about people.

Obviously he is still a part of the mainstream science/medical/food

manufacturing dogma paradigm, as like everybody but us is :S

It's going to be hard to get people to stop believing that

" Doctors " (bow down before me) know everything

about health,when in actuality we know they know only which potions to dispense

to " treat " diseases with and nothing about helping people or about real

" health " .

I recently gave up membership in a group that I liked because there were so many

" pill " people and they kept talking about getting the right " meds " . *sigh*

I think the desire for health and healthful foods will be the next social

revolution. : -)

regards, Bruce