Dear Editor
The public has a right to expect the food they eat will be safe. So how do Americans feel about the food they buy in grocery stores?

According to popular press reports, most consumers consider their food supply to be moderately safe, but they see room for improvement.
While meat and fresh produce have had the greatest number of product recalls in the last year, dairy, eggs, processed foods and animal feed ingredients also have been implicated.

In 2007, there were 20 recalls of meat alone. Six occurred in 2006. Today the largest meat recall in U. S. history is underway.
Although the food and feed safety and protection system in the United States is among the best in the world, the call for improvement is strong. Further, education of consumers ranks high on the list of priorities for organizations representing all aspects of the food production and supply chain.

Consumers, retailers, distributors, processors and even growers are demanding additional steps be taken to assure the safety of food and feed products in the U. S. The president, Congress, the Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department have put forth policy proposals to improve the system.

Certain U. S. food industry segments also are proposing new measures as part of their terms of sale with suppliers. There is concern, however, that too many standards will unnecessarily complicate the marketplace while not improving the safety and protection of food and feed.

To help meet these important challenges, Farm Bureau is urging adequate funding of FDA and USDA food safety and protection functions, including research and development of rapid testing procedures and tools. We’re also calling for quick and accurate identification of contaminated products with swift removal from the market to minimize disruption to consumers.

For domestically produced food, Farm Bureau supports the design and implementation of field-level “best management practices” for some products at the state level. Additionally, we believe appropriate product-tracing systems must be meaningful for consumers.

For imported food and feed products, Farm Bureau supports a system that allows imports of only foreign-produced products that meet federal safety and protection standards. Further, our food system should be consistent with U. S. obligations to international trade agreements so as not to encourage retaliation against our exports.

Finally, procedures and practices on the farm and ranch should provide a reasonable level of protection against intentional contamination of livestock, crops, fruits and vegetables.

Farm Bureau is working to ensure appropriate oversight of food safety issues, while continuing to monitor and engage in the merging federal debate on food safety. Identifying key issues and developing a comprehensive and focused strategy is just a jumping off point. The effort must also include coalition and stakeholder outreach, research and efforts to communicate effectively about food safety with all involved, including perhaps the most important people in the process - America’s consumers.

Michele Specht
Organization Director
Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson and Tuscarawas Counties

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