Future Now
The IFTF Blog
Here's to regulating the food chain!
My blogging has fallen by the wayside lately, not for lack of news items to comment on, but largely due to how busy the Health Horizons Program is these days. Among other things, we are diligently preparing for our Fall Conference on "Open Health," which is scheduled for November 7th and 8th (see announcement, below), and for our special project workshop on The Future of Foodscapes.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been taking note of possible blog topics; tonight, one headline really caught my eye and compelled me to write about it immediately. The AP Wire headline read, "Grocers seek more rules for food imports." What?! American interests (corporate or otherwise) wanting more regulation?!
(Why my surprise? Well, as a Canadian, I have long been struck by how government "interference" is far more distasteful to Americans than to my countrymen. But I digress.)
The story opens with, "In a rare move, the grocery industry asked Tuesday for more regulation -- to ensure that the imported products they sell meet U.S. safety and quality standards" (italics added).
It turns out that in response to a number of recent, high-profile recalls, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has proposed that the Food and Drug Administration establish such a program. Today, the FDA inspects less than 1 percent of all food imports.
Cal Dooley, the president and chief executive of the GMA (whose members include ConAgra Foods Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. and Nestle USA Inc.) comments: "Because we cannot simply inspect our way to a safer food supply, industry can apply its vast knowledge and practical experience along the entire supply chain to prevent problems before they arise"
Food safety is but one issue we will be discussing at our Future of Foodscapes Workshop on November 7th. Interested in attending? Contact Lea Gamble for more information.