Food Safety Modernization Act Threatens Fresh, Healthy and Sustainably Grown Food

[marmar]

Food Safety Modernization Act Threatens Fresh, Healthy and Sustainably Grown Food

Tuesday, 05 November 2013 09:39
By Michael Tabor and Nick Maravell, Lancaster Farming | Op-Ed


Each week at my farm stands in the Maryland area, we try to explain a peculiar situation to our customers. On the one hand, they want to buy our fresh fruit and vegetables. However, I tell them, that in a few years, these will all be illegal to sell!

Why?

Because they have some degree of dirt and bacteria on them. The strawberries for instance, have some trace amount of straw and soil on them. As do the tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers. We do rinse them before leaving the farm – but we won’t put them through a disinfectant bath nor pack them in antiseptic plastic containers and put “PLU” labels on them. That’s not what consumers want at a farm market---nor is it something we’ll ever be able to do.

Regulations for a new food law – FSMA – the Food Safety Modernization Act – administered by the FDA are currently in the process of being finalized. Although the Act originally had protections for family farmers like myself, we see those being ignored or phased out over time. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19816-food-safety-modernization-act-threatens-fresh-healthy-and-sustainably-grown-food

[Berlum]

1. "STFU and eat your genetically mutant chem-drenched corporate product." - Big Food, Inc.