Certifying Produce

Your May 21 editorial “Gimmicks Won’t Do,” criticizing the state’s Quality and Safety Assurance Program, indicates a lack of knowledge of the program and the food safety issue.

The certification program is intended to let consumers know about California’s $40 million pesticide regulatory system, far and away the world’s most progressive and comprehensive system to assure consumer food safety. The program is more than a stamp on a box of fruit. Under the proposal, growers are required to report all pesticides used on a crop in order to use the state’s certification seal. The state will also increase its pesticide monitoring program by 20%. The certification program is a proper and prudent step in assuring the public that the food they purchase and consume is the safest in the world.

While we agree the program is going to be expensive, it is important to remember that growers themselves are voluntarily footing the bill, something you failed to mention.

Your editorial states that “even when a grower follows existing regulations, the crop may not be free of pesticides.” You also said “the proposal would give assurances that food is safe when it may not be.” The science of toxicology adheres to the widely accepted principle that the dose of a chemical causes toxicity, not the mere presence of a chemical in our food supply. Even so, 1987 statistics from the California Department of Food and Agriculture show nearly 80% of 14,000 produce samples tested with no pesticide residues. These samples are in addition to those tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. I think that speaks highly of the system in place in to safeguard the public.

The proposal was not “forced” to the Legislature for budget approval as a result of any article that appeared in your newspaper. To obtain the necessary start-up funding, CDFA was required to go through the established legislative process to obtain a budget appropriation to start the program as soon as possible.

The public has become confused and concerned about food safety. A topic as important as food safety deserves to be addressed openly and honestly. The public should hear the facts about what is being done to produce and promote a healthy food supply. We believe your readers deserve nothing less.

BOB L. VICE

President

California Farm Bureau Federation

Sacramento