September 2008

On August 21, 2008 I urged Governor Schwarzenegger to Veto SB 201. I learned a few moments ago that the Governor did just that.  Makes a life long Democrat think about switching to the other team.  Hopefully, the Senators will reconsider the bill and review some of the ideas I had outlined in a letter to them that I posted here on August 27, 2008.

Sometimes politicians do the right thing.  Here is the "Governator’s" veto letter:

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 201 without my signature.

This bill weakens food safety standards in California, something I cannot support.

Last year I signed AB 1735, which passed the Legislature unanimously and put into law food safety standards for raw milk. Those standards are now in question by the proponents of this bill. Looking past the lobbying techniques, public relations campaign, and legal maneuvering in the courts, one conclusion is inescapably clear: the standard in place has kept harmful products off the shelves and California’s raw milk dairies have been operating successfully under it for the entirety of 2008.

Based on fears with no basis in fact, the proponents of SB 201 seek to replace California’s unambiguous food safety standards for raw milk. Instead they have created a convoluted and undefined regulatory process with no enforcement authority or clear standards to protect public health.

For these reasons, I cannot support this measure.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

See Senator Florez’s response:Continue Reading Governor Schwarzenegger Veto’s SB 201 – The Raw Milk Bill is Dead

The number of confirmed E. coli sickness cases continues to climb in Michigan. The Michigan State Department of Community Health says 30 cases with the same DNA fingerprinting have been identified. Some of the cases are from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the Lenawee County Jail. Other cases are in St. Clair…

In 2006 Cadbury withdrew a million chocolate bars, which were found to be contaminated with a rare strain of salmonella.  Now faced with another recall of its product, Cadbury says it will consider taking action against a manufacturer in China if some of its products are found to be contaminated with the chemical melamine.  The…

The number of confirmed E. coli cases continues to climb in Michigan and Illinois.  Numbers from New York, Ohio and Oregon have yet to be counted.  At least 39 cases with the same DNA fingerprinting have been identified in five states.   In Michigan, some of the cases are at Michigan State University, the University…

Health officials say at least five Illinois residents were hospitalized after contracting the bacteria between late August and mid-September. A sixth also was infected by E. coli.  All reportedly ate iceberg lettuce supplied by Detroit-based Aunt Mid’s Produce Company. Officials say there’s no evidence suggesting grocery store lettuce is affected.  Aunt Mid’s says initial…

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Well, I left at 4:00 PM on Saturday from Beijing after a week, landing in Seattle at 12:00 PM on Saturday – don’t ask.  While in the air, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began alerting consumers that seven Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products are being recalled by the Taiwanese company…

Although the source of bagged, chopped iceberg lettuce delivered to Aunt Mid’s had yet to be identified. A good guess would be California this time of the year, specifically the Salinas Valley (See growing season data).  Aunt Mid’s is ready to point the finger – from its website:

The health alert has identified…