From ground meat to fresh spinach, there have been an unusual number of food safety scares in the past year. Because of this, Congress is considering legislation to make our food safer.

The House of Representatives passed a major food safety bill this year, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has begun to consider a version for the Senate. The bills include many reforms that would change how large-scale food processing is done so as to better protect consumers from food-borne pathogens.

The Center for Rural Affairs supports a safer food system. However, we and our allies in sustainable agriculture are worried about the harmful effects these bills, as currently written, would have on small family farmers. Especially impacted could be those who sell directly to consumers, add value with on-farm processing, farm organically or with other non-conventional methods, or implement conservation measures and wildlife protection on their farm.

We should not write one-size-fits-all regulations based on the practices of a few very large bad actors causing food safety problems. Instead, food safety regulations should be written in a way that protects both consumers and allows small family farmers to continue making a living.

Contact: Steph Larsen, StephL@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1014 for more information.