Public testing for pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria on fresh produce will drop by more than 80 percent if a key U.S. Department of Agriculture testing program is eliminated, according to an analysis
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Agricultural Marketing Service
Lettuce Recall Prompts Call to Fund Microbiological Data Program
On the heels of Dole’s announcement that the company is recalling nearly 800 bags of lettuce after Salmonella was detected by state health officials conducting random sampling in New York state, U.S. PIRG (the federation…
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USDA Investing in Growth of Farmers Markets
In discussions about government and agriculture, attention tends to focus on issues such as the billions spent on commodity supports. But the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) – a branch of the USDA – has a…
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Can Marketing Orders Improve Leafy Greens Safety?
In revising a plan that had been criticized by consumer groups and others, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed a program to establish a voluntary, national marketing agreement to set safety standards and…
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Audit Chides USDA for Approving Tainted Eggs
The U.S. government’s “right hand” was grading and okaying egg shipments while its “left hand” was testing for and finding Salmonella contamination. And the right hand had no idea what the left hand was…
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Cooking, Not Testing Can Ensure School Beef Safety
The science isn’t there to back up more stringent testing of meat purchased through the federal government’s ground beef purchase program–which provides beef to the National School Lunch Program–according to a report released by the…
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