If pork is to survive Delaney Clause must go LANCASTER - Zero based tolerance for cancer using food additives promises to be a political hot potato in the next several months. Politics, a Harvard study, and pressures from food processors will combine to make the Delaney clause a sure headline grabber as agriculture and consumer interests square off early in 1980. The Delaney clause is the root of the problems, says David Lambert, Director of Regulatory Affairs for the National Grange. The Delaney Am mendment says no cancer causing substances can be added to food products This Phog"producers! I 4 —— ♦ 4 Get Top Price for J J Your Hogs at jHV ♦ ♦ New Holland 4 Vts-~vv. y a ♦ I ♦ Sold in sorted lots the auction way. See them I 4 weighed and sold and pick up your check. 4 ♦ SALE EVERY MONDAY - B=oo A.M. 1 ♦ NEW HOLLAND SALES STABLES, INC. + Phone 717-354-4341 ♦ Daily market Report - Phone 717-354-7288 ♦ Abe Diffenbach, Manager LANDIS BROS. INC. NEUHAUS'ES, INC. ROBERT E. LITTLE INC. M.S. YEARSLEY & SONS Lancaster. PA RD2, York, PA Zieglerville, PA West Chester, PA 717-291-1046 |. 83 Loganville Ext 3 215-287-9643 215-696-2990 ADAMSTOWN EQUIPMENT 71 35^1306 AOWAY INC MohntonßD2* PA 19540 SHOTZBER6ERS STANLEY A. KLOPP INC. Chapman Equipment cniIIPMFMT Bernville.PA Center EQUIPMtNI 215-488-1510 Chapman, PA 215-484-4391 Elm, 215-398-2553 PIKEYILIE 717-665-2141 EQUIPMENT INC. A.B.C. GROFF INC. KERMIT K. KISTLER, INC. I.fi.'s A 6 SALES nvcter Date Road New Holland, PA Lynnport, PA Silverdale, PA 18962 °o£SS,PA 717-354-4191 215-298-3270 215-257-5136 215-987-6277 includes coloring agents, like Red Dye No. 2, or preservatives like nitrates for pork and other meat products. Any substance which is shown to be carcenogenic, or cancer causing, must be taken off the market,'the Delaney Clause says. While the Delaney Clause is not a law it has been on the books for about 20 years. Lambert says he feels it will take a legislative action to bring any change in the zero-based tolerance established by the Food and Drug Administration which is charged with enforcing the Delaney Clause. At the time the Clause was written, Lambert says, ♦ scientists were looking at parts per million. Now refined scientific equipment makes it possible to determine residues in the area of parts per trillion, levels un-dreamed of in the 19505. In fact, if tht Justice Department were to demand sticking to the letter of the law, bacon should have been taken off the market already, Lambert points out. He says he thinks the reason the Justice Depart ment has not acted on mtrates in bacon is because of a discussion of the validity of a Harvard University study which raises serious concerns about the relationship of nitrates and cancer. If the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration find the study is indeed valid there is little doubt that, according to the letter of the law, bacon and other meat products cured with nitrates will have to be banned from the marketplace. But that will not happen overnight, he assures. Both the economic chaos which would befall packers and political realities will assure the battle will continue over tune. Rather than taking action to ban mtrates, Lambert says he and the Grange hope Congress will address the problem of revising the zero based tolerance regulations. “We want a national cancer policy which will give a baseline for scientific procedures,” Lambert says. Such a policy would in cluded revision of the zero tolerance standards and would allow some flexibility in determining which sub stances could be used even if some minor level of car cenogenic residue were found. He says there will have to be some sort of trade-off between the slight possibility of getting cancer in the future and the danger of contracting a case of botulism now. But the final solution will have to be in the Congress, Lambert says. He pointed out the general environmentally oriented atmosphere in the country is going to make politicians reluctant to lower standards. Not only is it bad politics, Lambert says but he thinks many of the politicians are afraid some disaster could happen and they would be left in a bad position. Outside of USDA and the agriculture committees on the Hill, the general feeling is in favor of the consumer, Lambert says. Since he works out of the Grange’s Washington, D.C. office he is close to the Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 24,1979 feelings and trends in the Capitol. The layman has to rely on the reports of Universities and scientists to determine what is right, he notes. “At tunes, though, the farmer is a consumer, too,” Lambert continues. “We must not push for legislation which potentially could hurt members of the farm family,” he says. He points to the past record with pesticides which had their registration cancelled. While some pesticide registrations have been cancelled, crop production continues, he says. He ex plains he is not in favor of removing chemicals from the farm shelf - either crop and livestock materials or food processing chemicals. It is hard to divorce the farm part of the production cham from the packer part, he says. “How long would it take for farmers and packers to develop a market for fresh pork?” he asks. “How much of the hog producer’s income would be lost to chicken or beef producers?” Lawmakers and farmers will have to juggle both sides of the equation, he says. To that end, several bills have been introduced both in the U.S. Senate and in the House of Representatives. But for the time being, the carcenogenic materials legislation is on the back burner, he says. This is because most legislators are waiting for THERE ARE TWO WOOD STOVES IN THIS PICTURE The Upland is designed to be used either free standing or vented into an existing fireplace. Either way you get two stoves in one. SAVE UP TO 75% ON HEATING BILLS WOOD Mil? Rt. 212, Pleasant Valley Quakertown. Pa Open: Mon., Tues., Thurs. & hn. 12 to 8; Sat. 9 to 5; Sun. 1 to 5; Closed Wed. Phone 215-346-7894 * DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED * W DAYS NO FINANCING CHG ■■■i FINANCING UP TO 30 MONTHS the results of the USDA and FDA evaluations of the Harvard study. Cancer is going up among cigarette smokers, but stomach and other cancers are declining, he says. There is no indication the cancer rate is going up because of food additives, Lambert says. Once USDA and FDA do submit their reports to Congress it is certain the full glare of publicity will be on the Delaney Clause and whatever new legislation is introduced to provide parameters for use of materials suspected of causing cancer. If efforts to address the Delaney Clause itself are avoided by legislators then it is a real possibility that the use of nitrate could be ex cluded, Lambert says. And that will mean true hardship for anyone - on farm or off the farm - who is connected with the pork industry.-CH. have a nice weekend... The one you see is an open stove, with all the beauty of the open fire place. The one you don't see is an air-tight stove that heats up to 9,000 cu. ft. for 10 hours when you close cast iron doors. 59
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