“We are a nation built on the strength of individual initiative. But there are certain things that we can’t do on our own. There are certain things that only a government can do. And one of those things is ensuring that the foods we eat … are safe and don’t cause us harm.”
—President Barack Obama, March 14, 2009

I received an e-mail yesterday from the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announcing that it is seeking comment on proposed measures to enhance food safety. The proposed rule would implement a provision of the 2008 Farm Bill and is a priority for the President’s Food Safety Working Group (FSWG), which was formed in June 2009.

“One year ago the President called on government to do more to ensure our food is safe, and we are working aggressively every day to improve the food safety system in the United States,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The steps we are announcing [today] will help prevent foodborne illness as well as speed our response when illnesses occur—two goals of the Food Safety Working Group.”

One of the componenets of the new proposed rule would require that “regulated establishments promptly notify FSIS if any unsafe, unwholesome, or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce.” Hmm, I bet their definition of “unwholesome” is WAY different than mine, but that’s a whole ‘nother post.

One of the reasons I choose to eat locally is because of food safety issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April 2009 that according to preliminary data from 2008, a long-term decline in foodborne illness appears to be stalling. The agency concluded that “the lack of recent progress points to gaps in the current food safety system and the need to continue to develop and evaluate food safety practices as food moves from the farm to the table.”

Just how did our food supply become so unsafe? The President’s Food Safety Working Group chalks it up to four main factors, all of which I agree with:

• new disease agents and intentional contamination;
• an increasingly globalized food supply chain;
• changes in the US population;
• and new dietary patterns (ie, the fact that approximately 50 cents of every food dollar is now spent on food prepared outside the home in restaurants, vending machines, movie theaters, and schools).

I don’t think there is much we as individuals can do about intentional contamination of our food supply or the overall changes in the US population, but there is a lot we can do to address the issues that arise from both our ever increasing globalized food supply chain and the modern food conveniences (ie, TV dinners, “eating on the go” from vending machines or fast food restaurants, “prewashed” bags of leafy greens, etc, etc, etc) that are supposed to make our lives easier.

Speaking of the global food supply, did you know that about half of the fresh fruit eaten in America is grown outside of the country? While these imports do allow you to enjoy your favorite produce year-round, that’s not necessarily a good thing. In addition to the environmental issues that stem from food traveling that far, you cannot be sure about how the food was grown or what it was exposed to on its travels to your supermarket. Buying from local growers alleviates many of these concerns for me. (Image above from the California Department of Food & Agriculture; it’s a bit hard to read, but you get the picture.)

The rise of modern food conveniences have also had many consequences for food safety. The biggest issue for me is that many of the ingredients used in these “convenient” foods are grown or raised in mass amounts (see CAFO if you don’t know what I’m talking about) and processed a zillion different ways, all of which increase the chance of contamination with Salmonella and E coli O157:H7. I’m sure we all remember the huge 2006 E coli outbreak in spinach, right? Again, by choosing local, I feel much better about the safety of my food. (Image above from the Environmental Protection Agency.)

So, is local food safer? I would make the argument that it is because 1) it travels through less hands and machines during preparation, packaging, and shipment, and 2) it travels far less miles to the point of sale. Therefore, there are a lot less opportunities for local food to become contaminated. But hey, that’s just my two cents.

P.S. If you would like to have your voice heard about the new proposed measures to enhance food safety, comments can be made through the Federal eRulemaking Portal by May 24, 2010. All submissions received through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or by mail must reference the Food Safety and Inspection Service and include the docket number “FSIS-2008-0025.”