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  • From: SaladG AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Food Safety and National Supplier Issues
  • Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:50:09 -0400 (EDT)

Bill we decided to retire this year after walking in a cooler with 1/2's of Lamb's and Goat's without any USDA stamping on meat.  Was it butchered in a garage, I didn't know, so do you as a vendor leave product at this location when some of the products of lamb products could be your product or from other source, someone get's sick, who gets sued.  The little guy with the licenses , not the boot legger, get's sued.
 
I went to the health department with this and I was told that they would have to have a USDA stamp on the meat. It wasn't stamped.  I asked when was the last time that location was inspected by the health Dept, and there comment was we try to get to all locations once a year but we are somewhat behind because of funding.  Well they can sure find my place in the country a couple times a year.
 
It is really not worth risking our farm in order to continue selling high risk products in this economy to try to get local fresh foods to our consumers in our local area.  I know a lady that was selling chickens under the $5000 organic rule, he was bragging of doing 3000 chickens, and dressing them themselves, give me a break.
 
Phil from Iowa
 
In a message dated 4/28/2012 4:46:04 P.M. Central Daylight Time, wshoemak AT illinois.edu writes:

I don't know if anyone else has noticed it, but I think the business community has become really agressive lately using scare tactics. Maybe they are just infected with the mood of politics that currently prevails, but I think it may do the wholesale food community more harm than good. Consumers generally have more confidence in local producers than the mass food system. Its really wearing thin with me though.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

University of Illinois, Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL  60174

630-584-7254, wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] on behalf of Richard Stewart [rstewart AT zoomtown.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2012 1:55 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: [Market-farming] Food Safety and National Supplier Issues

This is going to be more specific to Ohio but if people out of State have any anecdotal evidence please share.

We have a group here in Ohio called the OPGMA that is basically telling (by its support of the Ohio Produce Marketing Agreement) every major produce and fruit buyer on Ohio that if it does not have its label then its a risk to purchase.  So farm no one that I sell to, including Whole Foods Market has signed onto the is non-legislative group of FOR-PROFIT marketing and testing companies.

I mention this because we have been told by a chef we supply that US Foods, through their produce sales representative, has falsely claimed that local food producers are operating uninsured, without traceability, and without a GAP system in place and then implied that be dealing with us the chef was playing Russian Roulette in terms of exposure to food-borne pathogens.

I am curious if other folks on this forum, especially those in Ohio who deal directly with businesses that also purchase from national distributors are seeing similar conversations.  Would you be willing to ask around and get back to me on this matter?  Privately.

Two things in my mind are making me take notice...first the business minded part of me is curious if we local food producers are making an impact on national supply and demand (the above related conversation started as question as to why the chef was purchasing less from them) and the second is a more conspiratorial thought that makes me wonder if the OPGMA, now that it has most of the major grocers in Ohio playing ball, are starting to move in on restaurants.

I am doubtful of the later, in part because OPGMA, who supports the Ohio Produce Marketing Agreement does not actually own the agreement so much as promote it for the High Sierra Group (a Wisconsin Chemical sales and certification company) who owns the OPMA website and promotes the OPMA. 

The whole thing is odd and COULD just be a moronic mid-level sales rep sticking his foot in his mouth but I honestly think produce growers are going to get hammered hard much like the beef and milk producers have.  Big business is going to make the rules be it legislatively or through intense costly marketing efforts.

Anyways, I would be curious if there are people with similar experiences.

Cheers!

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106



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  • Re: [Market-farming] Food Safety and National Supplier Issues, SaladG, 04/29/2012

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