Food Safety

Pass the F.D.A Food Safety and Modernization Act. Call your senators' offices and urge support of this comprehensive bill. It is really a no-brainer, as recent food-borne illness breakouts and revealing coverage of corrupt, or just dirty and ill-managed, food production facilities have made regulation of the food processors a common cause across party lines.

Alas, some - like the Glenn Beck's of the world - are resisting this common sense action out of naive ideological bias and irrational conspiracy's of government regulation. It is astounding that in nearly a century of existence, the FDA does not have the authority to test food for pathogens or require a recall. Seriously - the FDA cannot demand/force a recall of food products it knows to be dangerous, even lethal, to consumers. All food recalls are voluntary on the part of the industry. This is corrupt and dangerously foolish.

Two of our strongest and most eloquent critics of the food industry - Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser - have a well argued and succinct commentary on the issue in the New York Times today. It is well worth the time.

Pass the "Food Safety Bill."