Keeping our food supply safe and secure

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Most people do not spend their days wondering where their next meal is going to come from, but as the economic situation gets worse and jobs get harder to find it is becoming an every occurring issue in the United States today. Not only will some of us have to worry about with what money will we buy our food, but now we will all start having to worry about where our food is coming from and is it safe for us to consume. We are moving toward a safer tomorrow every day by regulating certain parts of our food supply system. No matter how long it takes, it is clear that there is always opportunity for improvement in making our Nation healthier and safer. On January 4, 2011 President Obama signed into law The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This law has shed new light on the safety and security of our food supply. The last update to the food safety laws in the United States was in 1938. The food safety modernization act pays special attention at trying to modernize the food safety policies in the United States in hopes to prevent problems and concerns before they happen. As we all know, most of our food comes from overseas or sometimes from your neighboring state. The food products travel by car, truck, airplane, boat, or even train. We are all very happy to be receiving our bananas from Costa Rica and all of our other fresh fruits and vegetables that are imported into the United States, but we never stop to think about what pathogens are contaminating our produce and other foods on the way over and if they are safe for us to eat. In an article by Neal Fortin, he states that the law also gives the FDA new standards to hold imported foods to the domestic food standards and it also encourages the FDA to establish and develo... ... middle of paper ... ...does now to ensure our food safety. Thirty years from now I bet we will not have to worry about food borne illnesses and contamination of imported products because our government agencies will be so sophisticated and high tech that all of those worries will be long forgotten. I think President Obama has done our country some good by passing The Food Safety Modernization Act back in January of 2011. As I mentioned in this paper, some disagree with this law and I see both sides of the argument. Small farm owners at home and overseas could potentially be put out of business by this law, but then again do we as consumers really want to be eating food that is not safe? This shows me that he is concerned about our Nation’s health and reducing the number of foodborne illnesses every year. I am hoping that we will continue to build on this law and improve with every year.

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