Blog 11

How do food safety regulations affect small and medium sized farms? Use examples from the summary of Food Safety Modernization Act and from Wendell Berry. Does the food system according to the report by the US Food and Drug Administration address all risks involved in food production? If so, how well does the US government address these risks? If not, what is another risk that is not accounted for, and how could it be managed? 

Food safety regulations often require, as pointed out by Wendell Berry, "more and more expensive equipment", which, although it may be pocket change to large food companies, can be enough to force a small or medium sized farm to go out of business. I think Berry also raises an interesting and valid question when he asks "is it impossible to be inexpensively healthful and clean?" When you look at the Food Safety Mondernization Act, you can't help but think that the answer--whether it is accurate or not--is yes.
In the report by the US Food and Drug Administration they say in regards to food production and its risks that "since data and scientific knowledge are never totally complete, an assessment of absolute risk is impossible". Still, in my opinion, even the way known health risks and hazards in food production are dealt with could be greatly improved upon. Recalls on certain food products because of potential food-born illnesses for example are not always widely and clearly communicated by both the food companies to the FDA and the FDA to the general public. And, when they are, it is often difficult for the consumer to, first, once they learn of the recall, to even know for sure if they have or have not ingested any of the items that may be potentially hazardous.