Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 with Reason Online

April 27, 9:30 AMNashville Country Living ExaminerNicole Sauce

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Unraveling the Internet "facts and fiction" debate over the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (HR875), is a challenge on the Web.

Reason Online's recent article on HR875 deconstructs the online chatter with a piece centered on how organic farmers might be affected. Brian Doherty sums it up as follows:

According to the office of Rep. DeLauro, the bill was inspired by a recent wave of contaminated food recalls and is supported by consumer groups both organic and non-organic. The bill should also, if it has the effect of increasing consumer confidence in the food supply promised, be of ultimate benefit to big food production companies whose livelihoods depend on public trust in the food supply.* (Which means that they have every incentive to police themselves, and in the enormous staggering majority of the time they manage to do business without killing or harming their customers.)

In other words, Doherty sums up the debate as one between those who trust the government with broad-reaching, general controls of the food safety process, and those who fear the government will overreach the good intentions of the legislation unless a narrower definition of the process is added.

For those concerned about HR875, Reason Online's article, "The Clandestine War Over the Food Safety Modernization Act," is worth a closer look.

Email comments about HR875 to Nicole Sauce at examinersauce@gmail.com.