Most Americans Give Food Supply Safety a Grade of B or C
When asked to grade the safety of the nation’s food supply, most Americans in a recent CBS News poll gave the country a C (34 percent) or a B (33 percent). A mere 7 percent said they would grade the safety of the food supply with an A, while 18 percent responded with a D, and 6 percent with an F.
Even though the U.S. has one of the safest food supplies in the world, it’s clear that high-profile outbreaks of food-borne illness over the past decade have eroded public confidence –and for good reason. Outdated legislation and inconsistent regulation, coupled with supply chains grow that continue to expand in complexity and global reach, have created serious concerns about food supply safety.
More and more, grocery store shelves are stocked with food imported from other countries, but the vast majority of these products have not been inspected by the FDA. As CBS News reports:
“Every year 33 percent of Canadians get sick from what they eat. In the U.S., it’s 25 percent. But in England it’s only 2 percent and in France just 1 percent. In both places food is grown more locally and on a smaller scale than in North America.”
Interestingly, the CBS poll also found that how safe you feel about the food supply may be related to what food you can afford. Among survey respondents who make more than $100,000, 42 percent said they are very confident that the food they buy is safe. Just 24 percent of those who make less than $30,000 said the same.
The poll didn’t reveal much difference by age. However, it did identify a gender gap. 40 percent of men are very confident in the safety of the food supply; only 24 percent of women feel the same way.
This year, Congress is planning to significantly update food safety legislation and mandate system-wide traceability in the nation’s food chain. This system-wide overhaul is long overdue. Consumers will benefit from improved food safety, and manufacturers will gain from increased supply chain visibility and collaboration across the supplier network –something that’s always important, yet particularly advantageous in the food chain, where it’s critical that recalls are accurate and efficient.
