It's More Than Food
Food Safety Modernization Act
On this installment of It's More Than Food, Michel Nischan is talking with a wealth of guests concerning the health and economic impacts of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. In the first half of the show, Michel speaks with Roland McReynolds and Roger Noonan. Roland McReynolds, an attorney, is the Executive Director of the Carolina Farm Stewardship
Association. Roland directs CFSA's work on food safety policy and is a member of the
North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force. Roger Noonan, president of NEFU, is an organic farmer in New Boston, NH. Middle Branch Farm is a diversified family farm with operations ranging from maple syrup production, greenhouse production, organic vegetable production, organic hay and forage crop production, livestock production, and on-farm composting. Hear how this legislation threatens small and mid-size farms, and how the agriculture industry can take a few tips from restaurants in terms of food safety. Later, Michel chats with Erik D. Olson and Dave Jackson. Erik D. Olson is the director of food programs at The Pew Charitable Trusts. He oversees work aimed at improving food safety, strengthening safety and nutrition standards for foods served in the nation's schools, and reviewing the adequacy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's programs regulating chemicals added to food. Dave Jackson is the founding farmer of Enterprise Farms, a certified 95 acre organic farm in Whatley, MA. What does the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act mean for the environment? What are some of the misconceptions regarding the legislation? What are the connections between produce and food-borne illness? Find out all of this and more on this edition of It's More Than Food!
"That connection between the farmer and the consumer is spurring on better health outcomes." [6:00]
-- Roger Noonan on It's More Than Food
"We're talking about cutting net margins for farm in half, and that doesn't make a very appetizing prospect for young people looking to get into farming." [8:50]
-- Roland McReynolds on It's More Than Food
"There's been a fair amount of misinformation about what the rules are concerning the act. If I believed all of the stuff that I've seen out there instead of reading the rules... I'd be running around screaming about it!" [42:50]
-- Erik D. Olson on It's More Than Food
"I know that a lot young farmers don't become certified organic because they don't want to pay the extra thousand dollars." [54:10]
-- Dave Jackson on It's More Than Food