As a new farmer and an advocate for local food, I am concerned about the impacts the impending Food Safety Modernization Act, S. 510, will have on direct market farmers and food processors in Montana. The proposed bill treats direct market farms the same as multinational corporations. While I strongly support legislation that will make our food supply safer, I discourage one-size-fits-all regulations that push direct market producers like the ones I work with in Lake County further to the margins.
I recently completed a Good Agricultural Practices course through Cornell University. The course used several food safety case examples to illustrate the importance of proper hand-washing, water quality and soil management. It is interesting to note that not one of the examples was a direct market producer. The course offered examples of imported raspberries from Guatemala, mangos from South America and tomatoes from a multistate farm in the U.S.
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So here is my question: Why is it that the GAPs course that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a guide for food safety on the farm does not offer even one example of a direct market farm? The answer to me appears clear. The issues of food safety begin with our industrial food system and not with our direct market producers.
Now, I am not saying that our direct market farmers do not have a role in food safety. I believe strongly in education that will improve the quality and safety of our local food. But blanket legislation will not serve to educate our local farmers and processors. It will only serve to impose additional burdens. Therefore, please support Sen. Jon Tester's amendment to S. 510 and exempt direct market farmers and local food processors from the onerous oversight of federal inspection.
Karl Sutton, Ronan
