ANIMALS ON DRUGS - Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America - page 91

are free of dangerous toxics or agrochemicals. Each year, sufficient funding for the agency is threatened
during the increasingly antagonistic and partisan budget debates. Until the FDA is adequately funded, it
will be unable to make sure that the health and safety of Americans are protected.
No one can fully escape from the impact of the FDA's failures or from the ill effects of the dysfunctional
food system. In a large and industrialized nation, everyone is dependent upon the federal regulatory system
to some degree. No one can grow all of the food that they eat, unless they live an entirely subsistence life-
style. While shopping at the local farmers' market and knowing where your food comes from is part of the
solution, it does not protect you from all the dangers lurking at the grocery store, at the restaurants you pat-
ronize, or when you go to Grandma's for a holiday dinner. Most of us purchase produce from the grocery
store when it is out of season locally; at the very least, we depend on stores for staples. We eat at many
places where we are not in control of the shopping list.
Even individuals who only purchase organic produce, avoid consuming industrialized meat and pro-
cessed food, and shop at a natural food store for most products depend upon a protective and alert regu-
latory system to ensure that the products are free of deadly bacteria, chemicals, and residues. As organic
products increasingly come from China, extremely health-conscious consumers still rely on the FDA's vi-
gilance as we face more risks from chemical contamination. And anyone who shops for food and looks at
the ingredients list depends upon the FDA for the creation and enforcement of transparent and effective
labeling.
In the long term, while we should avoid processed food, shop locally, and get to know our local farmers
if possible, the best solution is to build the political power to reform not only the food system but the reg-
ulatory system that governs it. In a large and complex society that has more than 300 million people, it is
crucial to have a protective and fair regulatory system overseen by a federal agency willing to guard the
health and safety of consumers in the face of political pressure.
It is time for food activists to embrace the need for effective regulation, rather than to acquiesce to the
libertarian philosophy that we do not need regulation if we buy locally. In recent years, the FDA's SWAT
team-like raids on small farms selling raw milk or goat cheese has caused a backlash against all food reg-
ulation. Most of us would agree that this is an outrageous misappropriation of resources. In a country fa-
cing so many food-related dangers, the FDA should not be policing small operations selling to consumers
willing to take the risk because they know the producer and are confident of the products' safety. Yet the
agency takes a pass on the real health hazards, such as the chemicals and residues in the millions of tons of
imported foods.
We must demand that the USDA spend its resources wisely and protect all Americans from the hazards
in the industrialized and globalized food system. We must build the political power to give members of
Congress and the executive branch the backbone to stand up to the selfish economic interests of those
that put their quarterly profits before the health of the American public. To have a safe food system that
serves everyone, food activists must add food safety and effective regulation to the good-food movement's
agenda.