http://www.marlerblog.com/ Food Poisoning Lawyer & Attorney : Bill Marler : Marler Clark en Copyright 2012 Wed, 16 May 2012 05:08:18 -0800 Wed, 16 May 2012 05:08:18 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.32-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The problem is that it is not easy. There is no quick fix, unless you advocate for irradiation of meat and produce. Where I live, farmers have removed 85% of native vegetation on or nearby their farms, vegetation that includes some of the remaining wetlands and riparian habitat left in the region. This is crucial habitat for wildlife, and study after study does not find E.coli in this wildlife. The sources of E.coli seem to be surface water, pathogen-laden dust, and perhaps improper handling in the harvesting and processing phase. Retailers are demanding ridiculous and environmentally damaging practices of farmers even though there is no scientific evidence that links wildlife and habitat to E.coli. We can't have the retailers doing the policing because they lack an understanding of the complex biological processes that happen on farms and they are demanding things of farmers that are quite frankly illegal (practices that are against the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act). We have to come up with better solutions than holding the retailers responsible for what happens on farms. How about a better government inspection program?

]]> http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/say-it-aint-so-joe-errrr-david-the-food-czar/#8256 http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/say-it-aint-so-joe-errrr-david-the-food-czar/#8256 Legal Cases Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:35:04 -0800 marler@marlerclark.com (Salmonella Attorney) I agree with Rebecca, this isn't a simple problem to fix. In the case of "leafy greens" farmers now have retailers telling them how to farm. If we rally wanted to get back to healthy produce and meats in this country we'd do away with the "giant" agribusiness and revert back to small family type farms. That would eliminate the giant packing plants as well, which is where 95% of the contamination of all our food occurs anyhow. And as far as the USDA Inspectors, that is a real joke. They are simply there as figure heads. A point to remember, whenever a recall occurs, after making people sick or killing them, the farmer who grew the product and the packing plant/slaughter house are the ones that get sued, fined whatever. Why are the USDA INSPECTORS never held liable, after all they assured the PUBLIC the product was safe and they tested it! The biggest problem is people want so called "cheap" food, but then this food really isn't "cheap" when you consider the destruction it's doing to the environment, the health risks to the consumers, and the lack of human treatment to the animals. So, until the American public stands up to the mega-agribusiness, Monsanto, the USDA and their likes and says, NO MORE! we will continue to see and hear of more and more of our citizens falling sick and dying from "outbreaks" in our food supply.

]]> http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/say-it-aint-so-joe-errrr-david-the-food-czar/#8257 http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/say-it-aint-so-joe-errrr-david-the-food-czar/#8257 Legal Cases Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:35:04 -0800 marler@marlerclark.com (Salmonella Attorney)