Sign the Almond Petition...

[Ama]

I just got this email:

Pasteurized almonds absolutely absurd
I wanted to bring this to the attention of everyone to see if they would be interested in helping by reposting this and asking others to do the same. We are contacting national press/officials and anyone else interested in creating public awareness. We are going to blow the doors off of this and prevent it from going any further. This is absolutely absurd. Info is below. The petition link has lots of other info about what has happened.
Recently the USDA, FDA and the California Almond Board passed a law stating that in August/Sept. of this year, all almonds grown in the USA must be pasteurized before entering commerce. Another big issue to this is that there has not been a system put in place that will fairly represent this new process. Pasteurized almonds will still be sold as "raw". This is misleading and could be considered fraudulent. We have contacted local/national officials and started an online petition in hopes to allow consumers the choice to buy pasteurized or truly raw almonds. We are also hoping to put into place some other kind of system that will prevent them from doing this to other produce in the future. Consumers should have the right to choose fresh or processed food.
Please go to the website below and click on the pasteurized almonds petition link and sign your name! also there is more info at this link .

Thank You for listening and for helping!!
Sign petition now http://www.gopetition.com/sign.php?petid=11754

[eatyourbroccoli]

signeddddd

[rawlee]

Done and easy too!

[Veganforlife]

I just did and am encouraging everyone I know to sign also. Thanks!

[learningrawways]

Signed it and hope it helps.

[Veganforlife]

Power in numbers! So...you never know. Hopefully!

[RawNnyc]

SIGNED!

BTW - I missed the other post, when WOULD this start happening? Are the RAW almonds that I have now actually cooked?

[Veganforlife]

I've heard Fall of 2007 is when they are ALL gonna be processed.
You would have to check your almond dealer to see if yours are truly raw.

[Tootsie]

Signed, and added a nice lady-like comment too.

[luna99]

signed as well!!! I'm going to post this on my blog and on myspace.

[fruit]

Signed.........

[Mishka]

Signed the petition and emailed it to all my concerned friends!

And just a heads up...
I live in the central valley, and a few of these farms are close by. I talked to one of my friends who has a small family farm, to just ask about it...and she said they have already started to comply with the pasteurization. It is already happening. They are not waiting till the fall. I'm going to get on phone today ,and ask if the others in my neighborhood have also ... if they too have already started with it. I'll let you know what I hear.
Mishka

[Ama]

Signed the petition and emailed it to all my concerned friends!

And just a heads up...
I live in the central valley, and a few of these farms are close by. I talked to one of my friends who has a small family farm, to just ask about it...and she said they have already started to comply with the pasteurization. It is already happening. They are not waiting till the fall. I'm going to get on phone today ,and ask if the others in my neighborhood have also ... if they too have already started with it. I'll let you know what I hear.
Mishka

Oh GREAT! So basically, as of now, we really have no way of knowing if our Almonds are pasteurized or not being that they needn't be labeled as such. The FDA is EVIL!

[Beckla]

signed. thankya.

[road2raw]

I signed, too!

[RowanC]

EVERYBODY on this board needs to send a letter or email to this guy. There is a link for the USDA on this website. Pass this story around to everyone who eats organic that you know... Let's FLOOD his office with angry emails!!!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4742.cfm

You pay the USDA's paycheck with your tax money.
You can FIRE them if enough of us get tired of their crap.
They're sure not doing us any good... let's BAN them!!!

Get everyone you know, everyone who is related to you, to send 2, 3, and even 4 emails telling them NOT to pasturize raw almonds and to LAY OFF the poisoning of the food supply! Tell them get out of Monsanto's bed!!!

[Petals]

I read this on a raw guru mailing and it just sucks. Thanks for the link, signed it too.

[Solace]

DONE Signed !!!!

[Faithfullyfit]

Signed and forwarded to all my RAW friends!:D

[LightLover]

Signed!
I think everone in the United States should think about boycotting
American Almonds. First ask your supplier where he gets his almonds from.
If the answer is the States, then say you can not buy these anymore due to the pasteurization laws.
You can still eat the "organic foodbar", they buy their almonds in France.:D


LL

[Morn]

Thanks for posting! I signed too!

[WannaBraw]

I have signed the petition. Are there any growers that won't pasteurize?

[Rawkinlocs]

bumping up so others will know this has already been a covered topic...no need for a new thread! ;)

[rawbeliever]

bumping up

[Ariannah]

I signed the petition.

[tweety]

SIGNED and sent to colleagues at work!!

[Lay-Lay]

I wrote the following letter:

We are writing in concern to TWO major issues of great concern to our health and well being.

1.) We will not stand by and watch the FDA take away our freedom to access vitamins, supplements, herbs, and homeopathic medicine. This will directly affect our everyday life. I am saddened and outraged that this would ever be considered. What right does the FDA have to take American citizens rights to good health away. That is exactly what is and will happen if this is not overturned docket # (No. 2006D-0480).

2.) We are in disbelief that we will be unable to walk in a grocery store and buy truly “Raw” almonds. We eat raw almonds everyday just about. It is part of our healthy lifestyle. My family and I believe that uncooked, or “living food”, offer substantial health benefits. I am disturbed by the fact that I will not be able to buy a truly raw almond after September 1. This will affect our life every single day! Also I a concerned by the fact that it will be allowed to still label almonds as “RAW” when in fact they will not be raw considering the chemical and heat treatments. Pasteurization is treatment with propylene oxide and this substance is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. Other countries such as: Canada, Mexico, and the European Union have already banned propylene oxide.

Also this docket was ruled upon without properly made aware of to citizens. No consumers were present and our voices were not heard. We along with many other citizens feel deprived of our right to participate in the rulemaking process regarding this very important issue to us. We demand that the USDA postpone implementation of the almond pasteurization requirement and reopen the formal public comment period. Give us our rights back! 7 CFR Part 981, Docket No. FV06-981-1 FR.



Sincerely,


Wrote it to my local government offices per congress.org
(addresses and names provided)

Various others:
Kurt J. Kimmel Regional Manager, Marketing oder Admin. Branch,
Fruit & Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA
2202 Montery St, Suite 102 B
Fresno, CA 93721

Secretary Mike Jonanns US Dept. of Agric.
1400 Independence Ave SW
Whitten Building -Suite 200A
Washington, D.C. 20250

Michael Durando
Chief of Mkting Order Admin. Branch
Fruit & Vegetabel Programs, AMS, USDA
1400 Independence Ave. SW
STOP 0237
Washington, DC 20250=0237

and lots of local people here in Ga "in charge". oh and also:

Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305_
5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061
Rockville, MD. 20852

Everyone is welcomed to copy and paste and send my letter as well as alter it to suite you and what you want to say.

[StarFire]

Signed !! Mahalo nui loa (thank you VERY much) for doing this!

[Tinacampy]

I signed it too.

[rawbeliever]

bumping...

[jamesfarrell]

I've Had It With This Country

[Apasaraw]

My family grows almonds...I have had the luck of the draw in eating raw nuts all the time. The reason for the pasturizing is a salmonella problem that is happening. BUT to label pasturized almonds as RAW? LAME! Why lie? Why not allow people to buy raw straight from the farms? (unshelled) There can be a warning to folks but to take away choice? That ticks me off....I signed.

[Apasaraw]

http://www.almondboard.com/files/April%202007%20Pasteurization%20treatments.pdf

For anyone interested in reading about the pasturization process....knowledge is power.

The treatment is at 125 degrees for 4 hours OR a flash of high moist heat for 1 minute only. (what is high?) They WILL be labeled as PASTURIZED if this is done.

Where does this info that they will be labeled as raw when they are actually pasturized come from? Anyone have a linky? I like to know what's up first hand... :)

This is not required by the USDA apparently...it's voluntary. But will we be able to find raw almonds in the shops? That's the question. Here's the info.

http://www.almondboard.com/Programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=890&snItemNumber=450

I am so confused!!