States Rights Moves into the Food Safety Arena

Utah State Representative Bill Wright (R-Holden) has reportedly introduced
legislation (H.B. 365) that would exempt from federal regulation all foods
grown and consumed within the state’s borders. He was quoted as saying,
“Within the state, it’s state’s rights. We already have regulations over those
items. We function well now. We don’t think they have a right or authority to
regulate those items that are not in interstate commerce, as long as they’re
grown within the state, packaged in the state and remain in the state.”

A Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) spokesperson apparently
responded by claiming that the politician was “playing to people’s fears and
misrepresenting the facts and doing it for political purposes.” According to
CSPI, Utah merited a “D” grade for its ability to detect contaminated food
outbreaks. Some produce and livestock farmers echoed Wright’s concerns,
contending that regulations and inspections add costs to their operations. An
organic farmer reportedly said, “We don’t have to be certified organic and if
we weren’t, we’d never hear from [federal inspectors]. The amount of regulation
they do isn’t too much. They aren’t too severe.” See The Salt Lake Tribune,
February 5, 2011.