Illinois Farmers Say Revised Food-Safety Rules Still Fall Short

(Undated) -- Some agricultural groups in Illinois say the U-S Food and Drug Administration needs to go back to the drawing board as it works to revise the Food Safety Modernization Act proposed last year. Executive director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance Wes King says while the changes are a significant improvement over the original proposal, the draft still burdens family farms and could hurt local food production. King says a main area of concern is the inconsistent classifications of farms and facilities. Operations classified as facilities could be expected to comply with regulations meant for large industrial processing facilities, which can be expensive. King also takes issue with what he says are stricter standards for the use of surface water, as well as excessive requirements for water testing which he adds would burden farmers with unnecessary paperwork and costs.