Time for Food Safety Reform & EPA Myths

Time for Food Safety Reform & EPA Myths plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The EPA has been getting a lot of flack over issues that are, well, not true. Cow tax or livestock tax? It's a myth. Regulation of dust from fields or dirt roads? Myth. EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks talks about why there are so many myths and misconceptions following the EPA. BROOKS: Sometimes I think people push these fictions as a way to hurt the agency, try to run down the agency. They really ought to be dealing in the facts and that's what we try to bring to the job is just a factual discussion of the law and the science. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says the news that alfalfa sprouts are linked to a Salmonella outbreak in ten states reinforces the need to reform the nation's food safety system. Harkin says incidents of food borne diseases are increasing and occurring too frequently. He says food safety reform is an issue that has support from members on both sides of the aisle. And he says the legislation will finally give FDA the tools to help prevent future food borne illness outbreaks - and in the case of an outbreak - to respond quickly and protect American consumers. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. What's more controversial than Arizona's new immigration law? That would be Obama's decision to send twelve hundred National Guard troops to guard the United States and Mexico border, along with a request for $500 million to aide in the enforcement of border law. With Arizona's immigration law pushing the issue of illegals even more to the political forefront the current administration obviously decided they needed to at least put forth a little show of effort. A strange move if you consider how strongly opposed President Obama was to the new immigration law in Arizona; not so strange though if you consider the political posturing behind sending troops to the border at this time. Reminiscent of an extreme version of the childhood game of duck, duck, goose both political parties are now rushing to see who can please their unhappy constituents the quickest. Nothing speaks such volumes as a disgruntled voter. Problem is temporary patches are not going to get this wheel rolling in the right direction. Rather like "reinventing the wheel", this move could result in yet another poorly planned and inefficient effort. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.