How Changes in U.S. Food Agencies Are Putting Food Safety in America at Risk | Episode 108

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Remember: Don’t eat poop! 💩

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about a very important but also potentially controversial topic: how the significant changes that are happening with this new administration in the USDA, CDC, FDA, and other U.S. agencies that oversee food will impact food safety and the lives of American citizens.

Tune in for this much-needed discussion.

They bring the information they’ve gathered from talking to a lot of people in these different agencies and focus on the actual policy implications, opportunities, and issues rather than simply the politics behind it all. They also share what they believe should be done to make the U.S. food safety system function appropriately.

In this episode:

💩 [01:38] Preface to the episode, which touches upon current politics

💩 [09:16] Can the government solve these problems?

💩 [10:30] Bureaucracy is getting in the way

💩 [13:11] The consequences of the current government incentives

💩 [14:28] From constantly replacing everybody to not being able to let them go

💩 [17:36] The article on Jim Jones’ resignation that Francine participated in

💩 [19:35] The confusing way food is overseen in the U.S. and some solutions

💩 [25:52] What was wrong with the FDA Reorganization Plan

💩 [26:57] What Francine and Matt would do to improve the food safety system

💩 [41:47] Matt and Francine’s views on what the future will bring

💩 [45:27] The impact of lobbyists and the origin of the term

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Read the article Francine mentions with her and other food safety leaders’ opinions on Jim Jones’ leaving the FDA, QA Exclusive: Food Safety Leaders React to Jim Jones’ Departure, FDA Layoffs.

Catch up with the episode where Matt and Francine discuss the FDA reorg, Episode 69 | A Look at the FDA’s Reorganization Plan and Some Food Safety Mythbusting.

Check out Part I and Part II of Francine’s episode on Hal King’s Food Safety Unwrapped podcast.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ Our whole entire career, you and I have worked very, very hard, ruffled very, very many feathers, took in a lot of stones, pissed off a lot of people because we really believe in the mission. I think there are some people in the government that really do believe in their mission. I don't think they're the majority.” – Matt Regusci

“ 3000 people die every year from eating food. We know people whose children have gotten sick and had lifelong ramifications, people whose children have died, and it's not a game.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

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