Matthew Enis of Supermarket News wrote a column explaining why pending food safety legislation should not let small, independents off the hook. Some independent growers and food activists fear that the FDA would use increased powers to harass small farmers and the increased compliance cost could them out of business.
"The fact is, the local foods movement is enjoying an all-purpose halo effect right now, but advocates can't take safety for granted. It's still highly unlikely that a farmers' market will ever cause a multi-state outbreak. But, the Internet and social media tools will magnify the effect of minor outbreaks in the future. If small growers want to maintain their wholesome image, they should expect all of their peers to be meeting the same standards for safety."
