I have read that proposed bill (the actual bill as stated on
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s510/show) from start to finish.
What appears to be grossly overlooked from the very onset is this:
(Sec. 101)
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to expand the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to inspect records related to food, including to:
(1) allow the inspection of records of food that the Secretary reasonably believes is likely to be affected in a similar manner as an adulterated food; and
(2) require that each person (excluding farms and restaurants) who manufactures, processes, packs, distributes, receives, holds, or imports an article of food permit inspection of his or her records if the Secretary believes that there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to such food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
Honestly, this appears to be another misrepresentation and misinformation of the truth.
This is clearly in response to the last few mega-news stories of E-coli and Salmonella outbreaks from large producers, packers, shippers of peanuts, spinach, and eggs.
But I see nothing to indicate that I, as a small farm or home grower, are restricted or have to report to anyone.
In regards to seeds, there is a spectacular story and documentary circulating about the seed repository
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/buried-seed-vault-opens-in-arctic/ deep in the Artic undergound of Norway. Every known seed produced is collected and stored here for safekeeping. It is like the stuff of what sci-fi movies are made of.
By the way, there are 17 amendments attached to this bill but I have yet to find anything on what those amendments contain.
