As farmers markets thrive, so do concerns (MSNBC)

Submitted without comment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44701485/ns ... os9O3I2-HM


"...Although the fare sold at farmers markets often is perceived as more wholesome than what’s available on grocery shelves, there is no evidence that it is less prone to cause foodborne illness — and it generally receives less federal and local oversight..

While few pathogen outbreaks have been linked to farmers markets, most sources of foodborne illness are never identified, and small outbreaks often go unreported. For instance, for every confirmed case of salmonellosis, at least 29 cases go unreported, according to federal estimates.

Congress exempted small farms from the more rigorous safety requirements of the new Food Safety Modernization Act. The exemption applies to farms that gross under $500,000 annually and sell the majority of their products directly to consumers, restaurants or stores in their state or within 275 miles of the farm...."

The big thing to remember is that even if there is a problem it will be very localized instead of being spread Nationwide like some of the recent outbreaks have been. The quantities are much smaller as it is the distribution network so even determining the source of a problem would be very simple.

Yeah I will take my chances on Farmer Joe from down the street.
http://news.yahoo.com/long-road-farm-fo ... 06716.html

Lets just hope Uncle Sam keeps his ever regulating fingers out of the local farmers markets.

Lets just hope Uncle Sam keeps his ever regulating fingers out of the local farmers markets.

Last time I checked, the state and local authorities have much more influence in health matters, and regulation of farmer's markets, than Uncle Sam.

I'm with Will on this one. I much more trust the farmer up the road, who I see weekly and lives (or dies) by their product. Industrialized foods are part of a massive system to produce as much as possible, with little individual accountability and too many players involved. It makes sense that outbreaks are more likely that way.
Deb

A lot of the home-canned goodies are already banned in Tennessee...now they have to get a kitchen certification that is very expensive, so they just aren't doing it at all. I would much rather take my chances with a jar of home-canned green beans than the last can I got at the store, which tasted like bleach.

Car owners often complain that bicyclists don't pay any money for the upkeep of roads. As farmers markets grow, I can see the major produce producers complain that the lack of regulations is creating an unfair market. Worse, I can see the politicians who are in cahoots with these corporations per-emptively acting in what they see to be the best interests of these companies.

It's all about power.

Car owners often complain that bicyclists don't pay any money for the upkeep of roads. As farmers markets grow, I can see the major produce producers complain that the lack of regulations is creating an unfair market. Worse, I can see the politicians who are in cahoots with these corporations per-emptively acting in what they see to be the best interests of these companies.

It's all about power.

Matthew,

Good point, but I don't see Farmer's Markets as ever creating an unfair market- i don't see how that arguement could be made given that most Farmer's Market prices are higher than a grocery store. Also, most people are more interested in convenience ( shop anytime) so Farmer's Market will never capture the large marketshare to be truly threatening. As a strategy, I think more groceries will go the way of Meijer and Whole Foods and highlight the local produce they sell in their store to (re) capture more of our dollars.


Deb

Deb,

Oh, I don't see that ever coming to be either. But, people love to create realities to get whatever ends they want. We unfortunately don't live in a society where decisions are made based on evidence. We make decisions based on who has the most convincing rhetoric. Where are those WMDs again?

Cheers,

-Matthew

As a parallel, however, small, independent local restaurants don't get a pass from the Health Department, and I trust the owner/chef working his butt off in a small local place far more than I trust the $7.25/hr high school kid who knows that the fries are done because the alarm went off.

This is always the danger when you have a good thing going. As long as something can fly under the radar, everyone is happy, but all it takes is one bad tomato and a litigious consumer and the farmer's market will be crushed under the heel of over-regulation.

There's always one kid who pees in the pool and ruins it for the swimmers.