10/7/11

Farmers' Market Follies

Is Your Food Safe?  The Media Want You To Think Not

I'm sure you've all seen or heard about recent stories of the government going after raw milk producers, family rabbit and chicken sellers, and the big-Ag lawsuits against farmers whose crops were contaminated by patented seeds blowing in on the winds.  It seems that there is a move afoot to regulate truck farmers and local markets out of business.  I guess the rise in farmers' markets (a 40% increase in the numbers over the past five years) are cutting into the big-Ag profits, so they need to call in debts from their former executives who now work in government.

This recent article from MSNBC tries to make the case that that locally grown food is unsafe and must be regulated by the government "for our own safety." 

Because that is so effective.  Had any listeria-contaminated cantaloupes or e. coli spinach lately from a factory farm?

The article speaks for itself, but even more loudly speaking are the hundreds of reader comments identifying this move for what it is.  One of my favorites is the guy who observed that most folks shopping at a local farmers' market have enough sense to wash their produce before eating it.

I encourage you to read the article, then think about it next time you are at the Kroger or Safeway produce section.  Then think about it again at your local farmers' market.  Check out the book review I did a few days back on A Field Guide to Farmers' Markets for some ideas on how to use that great, local produce.

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