Agricultural food quality
Jan. 24th, 2017 09:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mtbcPost-Brexit there is talk of increased agricultural trade between the US and the UK. On the radio this morning I listened to quite a good representative of the American farming community and the concern of his interviewer seemed to be more matters like if British consumers would welcome chickens that had been washed in chlorinated water. Certainly, food standards differ and it would be good if at the least the labeling were to allow the consumer to choose.
From the interview I would have been more interested to learn about the quality of the inspectorate. As I understand the USDA it not only has the awkward dual role of both promoting and inspecting but also has had the inspection side relatively underfunded given the size of the industry. My questions would have been less about what the standards are and more about the degree to which there is even wherewithal to rigorously enforce them. I can't see that being a priority of the new administration.
From the interview I would have been more interested to learn about the quality of the inspectorate. As I understand the USDA it not only has the awkward dual role of both promoting and inspecting but also has had the inspection side relatively underfunded given the size of the industry. My questions would have been less about what the standards are and more about the degree to which there is even wherewithal to rigorously enforce them. I can't see that being a priority of the new administration.
