Sludge Watch ==> Senator Florez' Food Safety Bills Defeated in Calif Assembly

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

My vote is with Senator Florez

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Florez's E. coli bills defeated by Parra-panel in Assembly
28.jun.07
Fresno Bee/Salinas Californian/etc
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/71648.html


SACRAMENTO -- State Sen. Dean Florez's drive to regulate the lettuce and 
spinach industry suffered a major setback Wednesday, as a committee led by 
his longtime rival blocked three bills aimed at stopping E. coli outbreaks.

The stories say that the long-awaited showdown between Florez, D-Shafter, 
and Assembly Member Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, lived up to its billing, 
culminating with a heated exchange in which Florez accused the committee of 
waiting "for something bad to happen" before acting.
Parra snapped back: "Senator, I'm going to warn you, this is not the message 
this committee is sending." The message, she continued, "is that we don't 
agree with your approach to the bills."
Senate Bills 200-202 would implement a state-run inspection program and give 
the state authority to recall tainted produce. Leafy green growers, shippers 
and processors also would face a lengthy list of rules, including a ban on 
portable toilets in fields and a requirement that water and soil be tested.


The legislation is strongly opposed by the agriculture industry, which is 
adopting its own food safety rules for lettuce and spinach.
Florez was cited as blasting the committee for relying on the industry-led 
effort, adding, I think the signal the committee is sending is simply that 
they are willing for one more death to occur until we see that this 
particular approach does not work -- cannot work."
In testimony Wednesday, industry officials were cited as saying the rules 
are more flexible than what Florez proposed and can easily be changed to 
adapt to new research on food safety.
Erin Field, of Western Growers Association, which is leading the effort, was 
quoted as saying the rules -- which include water and soil testing -- "are 
very tough. They ensure good food safety."
Parra, who earned the endorsement of the California Farm Bureau Federation 
in her last election, was cited as telling reporters that she was "to this 
point" satisfied with the industry approach, adding, "Food is never 100% 
secure, so even waiting for one more fatality and blaming the industry is 
not fair. We will do everything to work with [state agriculture officials] 
and the industry to make sure our food is as safe as it can be."
During the hearing, she blasted Florez, stating, "I know you're going to go 
out to the press and probably say that if someone else dies, it's on our 
back. Well, don't blame the members of this committee, senator. Blame me if 
you have an issue, but that is not the message that we want to get out of 
this committee."





Western Growers applauds the rejection of California senate bills 200, 201, 
202
27.jun.07
from a press release

IRVINE, Calif. -- Western Growers officials applaud California Assembly 
Member Nicole Parra (D-Hanford), Chairwoman of the Assembly Agriculture 
Committee, and the Committee for rejecting SB 202 and keeping SB 200 and 201 
on hold for the foreseeable future.
"We are very pleased with the committee's decision to stop these pieces of 
legislation and allow our industry an opportunity to show that the Leafy 
Greens Handler Marketing Agreement is the most effective approach to 
ensuring the leafy greens grown, harvested, packed and shipped to our dinner 
tables is as safe as scientifically possible," said Western Growers 
President and CEO Tom Nassif. "Assembly Member Parra has shown incredible 
leadership and resolve in dealing with this issue, and we truly appreciate 
her and the committee's vote of confidence."
Parra said during today's hearing that she agrees that food safety is 
vitally important, but that she and her colleagues in the committee simply 
disagreed with the bills' approach -- lending support to the state's Leafy 
Greens Handler Marketing Agreement. Before the committee adjourned, Assembly 
Member Cathleen Galgiani (D-Tracy) added that the Marketing Agreement is a 
first, and it is important to give the industry an opportunity to see if 
this approach works before passing any pieces of legislation.

Western Growers is an agriculture trade association whose nearly 3,000 
members grow, pack and ship ninety percent of the fresh fruits, nuts and 
vegetables grown in California and seventy five percent of those commodities 
in Arizona. This totals half of the nation's fresh produce.