Hmm, the article does come across on the more extreme side of things. However don't be so quick to brush these things off. After reading whats seems to be the main parts of the legislation I wonder how many of our tax dollars were spent to come up with what is basically an expensive nuisance to small business with the excuse that it "protects us" from practices that small business would never engage in (and still remain in business).
RupertofOZ wrote:
Complete and utter nonsense.... the NZ Food Security site you quote has basically cut & pasted the hysteriacal ranting regarding the US S510 Bill....
The proposed NZ Bill... merely extends existing standards and practices of public NZ & Australian Food Safety Standards Bill already in place...
It mandates the incorporation of HACCP implementation in food industries that produce, manufacture, pack or store food....
And requires smaller businesses like cafes, bakeries, fetes, farmers markets etc.... selling food for human consumption... to have a written food safety plan.. and observe the common sense food handling and hygene practices that, for the most part, most already do...
Do we really need to add more useless costs to already struggling small business ? (don't get me started on tax) Business will always make sure they follow healthy standards when it comes to food, because if they don't and someone gets sick, they lose their customers and they go broke. The free market doing its job.
In the US a self sufficient family got forced off their land for growing their own food in an agricultural area. Now they are all on state welfare, living off the taxes of everyone else.
Can you promise that will never come here ? or some other similar ridiculousness ?
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Fact.... other than the tactical response group and SWAT... NZ police officiers are not armed... and neither are health inspection officiers, or "Food Safety Officiers"... either here in OZ, or in NZ....
Not yet.
Wikipedia:
Police tactical groups (PTGs), formerly known as "police assault groups", are part of the Australian government's National Anti-Terrorism Plan [1] which, since 1978, has required each state and territory police force to maintain a specialised counter-terrorist and hostage rescue unit jointly funded by the federal government and respective state/territory governments.
Which is lucky because we really need protection from all the "terrorists"
Legislation like this is generally incremental, Like you said
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merely extends existing standards and practices of public NZ & Australian Food Safety Standards Bill already in place...
Shall we discuss anti-terror laws ? And all the other laws that reduce our liberty and increase state powers?
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Within the act there are provisions for a "constable" to attend a premise with a Food Safety Officier to enact a warrant, or force entry to do so... and just as it is now.... a health, or food safety officier may raid a premise without warrant if they have belief that action is required to seize evidence... or just cause of belief of a contravention of standards exists....
As it is at the moment...
The act does NOT prevent, restrict, or impose any standards.. on the growing of food for personal consumption.. or on seed saving etc... as also often touted by the tin foil hat wearing big brother survivalists...
Easy mate, remember the government is supposed to exist to serve US, the PEOPLE. Not the other way round. It is a RESPONSIBLE persons job keep an eye on whats going on and stand up for what is right, and fight against what is not right. Its all too easy to defend the status quo.
And I found the bit where you are correct about the personal consumption. Exemption
9A below. Its strange though, some exemptions have been crossed out. This one could also potentially be removed in the future...Its definitely not the first time legislation is first passed, then modified later on to suit the original purpose.
How the hell did we get laws that require you to get a permit (that costs time and money) to put a goat in your car and take it for a drive (maybe you bought it, sold it, taking it to dinner). Just another example of nuisance, time/money wasting laws that don't have any bearing on common sense.
You cannot deny the HUGE influence that large corporations have on political decisions and legislation. Every company wants to be a monopoly, the problem is the money in politics that facilitates this corruption.
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Had a bit of a gander, not very easy reading with all the links set out like that.
I didn't spend too much time reading it, I don't have all night
Couldn't find where private organisations could be a "recognised agency". So either it's there but I didn't find it, or the article lied about that point.
Also the part about applying to individuals, the article was very focused on individuals requirements, however there is that exception in the legislation.
The fact that this is getting much worse in the US is also a concern.
Exemptions:
94A Exemption if trading in food is for personal development purpose
(1) This section applies if a person or group of persons—
(a) trades in food for a personal development purpose; and
(b) carries out trading in food for that purpose—
(i) on a non-commercial scale; and
(ii) on an infrequent basis that does not exceed, regardless of the location, more than 20 occasions in each calendar year.
(2) The person or group is exempt from the requirement to operate under a registered food control plan or a national programme.
(3) However, the person or group must operate under any food handler guidance that applies to the trade in food concerned.
(4) In this section, personal development purpose means a purpose that relates to the intellectual, emotional, physical, social, cultural, or other personal development of a person or members of a group.These exemptions have been crossed out...
94
Exemption for certain persons involved in community-based fund-raising activities
(1) This section applies to a person—
(a) who is not ordinarily in the business of trading in food; but
(b) who—
(i) organises or conducts a community-based fund-raising activity; or
(ii) trades in food in connection with, or as part of, that activity.
(2) A person to whom this section applies is exempt from the requirement to operate under a registered food control plan or a national programme in respect of the community-based fund-raising activity.
(3) However, the person must operate under any food handler guidance that applies to any trading in food being carried out in connection with, or as part of, the community-based fund-raising activity.
(4) In this section, community-based fund-raising activity—
(a) means an activity that is held or conducted by a non-profit community organisation for the sole purpose of raising funds for the benefit of the community or a significant section of the community; and
(b) includes, for example, sausage sizzles and preparing and selling home baking or home preserves for a charity fund-raiser or church bazaar.
Backyard Aquaponics
