Is our food supply safe?

We Americans take so much for granted. And why shouldn't we? After all, we live in the land of freedom, opportunity and unlimited resources, right? We work hard and we've been told and believe that we deserve only the best in life. We believe that certain things are guaranteed, right? For example, we expect our energy to be reasonable and the stock market bullish. We expect our water supply to be pure and drinkable, and, of course, we just naturally expect our food supply to our grocery stores and restaurants to be plentiful and safe, providing us with healthful and nutritional benefits.

So what happened? 1) Energy costs are now at an all time high-especially in California, 2) The stock market, as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average, has dropped below 10,000 points for the first time in almost 2 years. 3) Many of us feel the need to drink safe filtered water from a bottle.

What about our food safety and our food supply? To learn what could happen in America, all you have to do is examine the situation in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. First, they experienced bovine spongiform encephalopathy-Mad Cow Disease. This was followed by the most recent epidemic of Foot and Mouth Disease. This epidemic is so swift moving that government authorities are restricting the movement of people from one town or country to the next and are inspecting trucks, tires, cars and even a person's shoes in an effort to contain this disease. Everyday activities are being canceled like multi-national rugby tournaments and prestigious dog shows. Even with all their efforts, Foot and Mouth disease has already found it's way to France, Italy and even Argentina has restricted the export of certified beef pending the investigation of reports of Foot & Mouth.

Their real world experience should male us realize how much we Americans take food safety and the integrity of our food supply for granted. In this country, many of us sit back and say "too bad for those folks, it can't happen here". We think we are so insulated from the rest of the world. We are so naive!

In this country we would be shocked if The Superbowl, The Westminster Dog Show or The Kentucky Derby were canceled due to a potential epidemic. We'd be incensed if the police told us we couldn't travel to Mom and Dad's house. We'd be taken back if we walked into our grocery store or restaurant and could not find or buy a steak or hamburger. We are so spoiled!

Although we have had no reports of Font and Mouth disease in this country since 1929, the UK situation is already affecting us economically. For example, McDonald's

Corporation has announced a reduction of annual earnings per share of 4-5 cents due primarily due to the European Beef supply. They have also stepped up their already stringent supplier inspections requiring their suppliers to certify the source of the beef purchased. Can the global market for beef do anything but increase when whole herds of cattle and other livestock are being destroyed in Europe? Look to pay higher domestic beef prices as the law of supply and demand kicks in.

The USDA is taking steps to block the importation of meat and livestock from Europe and other countries viewed to be at risk. While these are prudent steps, let's look at Europe and see what we can learn. So, just how did Foot & Mouth disease start in the UK? It is now thought that the disease was brought into the UK in illegally smuggled meat, which was then fed to pigs.

Before we say, "that couldn't happen here", remember NAFTA? Think about how our borders between Canada and Mexico are opening with goods (including food) flowing more and more freely between our countries.

Are we headed toward "controlled source" suppliers? I believe so. Once again, let's take a look at the UK-specifically Superquinn, a premium retailer in Dublin, Ireland. Check out their Web site and you'll see that they are touting their Superquinn Farm Assurance Scheme that includes regular inspections of their beef, pork, chicken and salmon suppliers. Not only are they selling meat and fish, but consumer confidence and piece of mind.

Is this our future in the United States? Will we be buying our meat from retailers and restaurateurs like Superquinn and McDonald's who can "ensure us of the absolute trace ability of our meat from pastrue to plate"? For many of us, the answer is an obvious and resounding YES!

Brian Salus is a consultant to the food industry SALUS & Associates, Inc. is based in Richmond, Va (804) 897-4567.

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