Action Alert
Sample Letter to USDA Officials

Please copy the following sample letter (below the dotted line) and either paste into an e-mail or print/mail separately to USDA Secretary Mike Johanns.

IMPORTANT: Individualized letters are much more effective than copied template letters. If you have the time and motivation, we would encourage you to customize this letter. You can insert one or two lines as to why you feel this rule should not go into effect.

A very short handwritten note might even carry more weight!

Examples: I believe that uncooked foods, or “living foods,” offer substantial health benefits. I am outraged/saddened/disturbed by the fact that I will not be able to purchase truly raw almonds after September 1.

I am very concerned that I will no longer be able to know how my food was processed, and that “raw” will no longer mean “raw.”

If you are an industry professional (farmer, retailer, distributor, or manufacturer), it is important that you state this in your letter. You can do this below your typed name/signature and address.

Thank you for taking action in the interest of authentic and healthy food!

Mail to:
Secretary Mike Johanns
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave SW
Whitten Building – Suite 200A
Washington, D.C. 20250

Email:
TO: agsec@usda.gov
CC: kurt.kimmel@usda.gov
Michael.Durando@usda.gov

……………………………………………………………………………

Dear Secretary Johanns,

As a consumer of raw almonds, I am very concerned regarding the final rule (7 CFR Part 981, Docket No. FV06-981-1 FR) amending the almond marketing order to require that all almonds be "pasteurized." As a citizen, I was not aware of the rule when it was proposed, and feel that my concerns, and those of others with a similar interest, were not considered.

The availability of raw almonds is important to me, and I regret the loss of freedom to purchase truly raw almonds.

I am also disturbed by the required misleading labeling that will allow pasteurized (processed) almonds to be labeled as “raw,” when they have undergone a chemical and/or heat treatment.

There are several concerns that I feel were not fully evaluated during the initial public comment period:

1. This rule will impose financial burdens on small-scale and organic farmers. The costs of the chemicals and heat treatments, in addition to the costs of extra transportation and reporting, will be disproportionally taxing on smaller producers. This is unfair since none of the reported salmonella cases in 2001 or 2004 were traced to small-scale or organic farms.

2. This rule does not address the dangerous and unsustainable methods of industrial-scale farms that lead to food contamination, nor does it adequately take into account the effect of pasteurization on almonds.

3. More research, conducted independently of the Almond Board, might show the direct link between industrial-scale farming and the contamination of the food supply, justifying an exemption based on scale for smaller producers.

4. One of the options for "pasteurization" is treatment with propylene oxide. This substance is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Propylene oxide treatment of foods is banned in Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. And even organic almonds will undergo heat treatments. Only the Almond Board and its constituents have researched the pasteurization of almonds, reporting that there is no significant reduction in their quality or nutrition. Independent research in this area is necessary before universal implementation of this rule.

5. Considering the chemical and heat treatments, it is misleading to label pasteurized almonds as “raw.” Many consumers wish to purchase truly raw, unprocessed almonds. A reasonable alternative to the new rule might be to allow for and clearly label unpasteurized almonds, as is allowed with certain fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

I am aware that there was a formal 45-day comment period prior to the publication of the final rule; however, concerned consumers and other stakeholders, with the exception of almond handlers, were not aware of this proposed rule. Of the very few comments received on the proposed rule, none were submitted by consumers or retailers. This is a reflection not of our apathy, but our lack of awareness and the lack of transparency of the process.

I, as well as many other concerned citizens, feel that we were deprived of an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking process regarding an issue that is truly important to us. I am writing to request that the USDA postpone implementation of the almond pasteurization requirement and reopen the formal public comment period.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Address]



P.S. Secretary Johanns, please forward this correspondence to:

Michael Durando
Chief of Marketing Order Administration Branch,
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 0237
Washington, DC 20250–0237

Kurt J. Kimmel
Regional Manager, Marketing Order Administration Branch,
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA
2202 Monterey Street, Suite 102B
Fresno, CA 93721

I wrote this and printed it and sent it away to Johanns. I have written him many times about animal rights, lol

'
Dear Secretary Johanns,

As a consumer of raw almonds, I am very concerned regarding the final rule (7 CFR Part 981, Docket No. FV06-981-1 FR) amending the almond marketing order to require that all almonds be "pasteurized."

I was not given a choice in this.

First of all, pasteurizing anything kills. Pasteurized milk kills baby cows that are fed it.
I make almond mylk out of spouted almonds. I am a raw foodist and have not been sick in 5 years. I cured myself from illness. I avoid anything that used to make me sick, processed cooked foods. I gave up all dead foods and cured myself. Now you are taking away my almonds?

Please PLEASE, I know a TON of people up in arms over this. This is crazy, please help me. Is this a country where I have to get foods underground? I already do this, a little bit, by shopping organic. The stuff in our produce section breeds sickness in its lack of life force and vitamins.

Do you know what it is like to go in a grocery store and have it filled with food and nothing I can eat? I only eat pure raw foods. Do not take away my almonds please!!!



(my address)

Hey CC,

You efforts are great! I read in one of these raw forums that raw almonds will still be available from the orchard owners directly as they are not considered a distributor. At least this offers some concession whether or not your/others' efforts are rewarded.

Therese

yes, they will, but only in local stands, not mail order





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/2007 08:23AM by coconutcream.

Thanks for making this an easy cut & paste for everyone, Coconut cream. We all should do this. It only takes a few minutes.

I'm from Canada and realize this will be affecting me, but is it still my place to write a letter?
I feel this is an important issue as almonds are one of the few nuts I still enjoy (although even then I eat very few) and want to have the choice of raw nuts. Reading all these things about the FDA and food governing in the states is kind of frustrating because Canada is only right next door...
take care!

alabanana I am fruitarian and eat fruit, not nuts, but I still stand up and say THIS IS CRAZY, you should too, for all of us, for your friends and kids. If you want, of course..

Thanks for posting this Suvine,
I'm going to send the letter tonight. I can't urge people enough to send these letters-- if enough people write and complain, it does make them amend their decisions.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

I used to write letters all the time doing animal activist stuff and every thing I wrote about was changed and new laws came about and elephants were released and crimnals put awy etc..

So will it be possible at all to get truly raw almonds anymore after September 2007? I mean, am I seriously going to have to befriend someone who has an almond tree in their backyard or something? ....this is so depressing.

You can probably still get them locally, just not from out of state. (?) (Am I right?) . . . (HOPE I'm right!) It doesn't help me much either way-- I'm in the northeast and we don't grow them here. Yes, it's depressing. This seems to be the way things are heading, and we must let Congress know we're not going to take it sitting down.

Someone in a position to know wrote recently that writing to the bureaucrats (FDA, other agencies) doesn't really accomplish anything. They said we have to contact our representatives in Congess and get them on board. Most of them aren't exactly into alternative health and raw food, you know!? ;-p (Vast understatement.) Kennedy is the 'lion' of the Senate and a champion on many issues, but he's just sold us down the river with this terrible S. 1082 FDA-pharmaceutical company bill that will open the flood gates for the dismantlement of DSHEA, our alternative health protective act.

That's another issue, as is Codex, but believe me, they're all part and parcel of the same agenda.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

what states are most prominent for having almonds growing? Thanks for any advance info. I've already emailed and will be printing out and snail mailing them tomorrow. I hate snail mail but sometimes they don't even read their emails.

[rawfoodtrip.blogspot.com]
[jugglingforjoy.com]