Safe to Eat? (Issue 3)

The issue over whether or not our food is safe to eat all the time is a large one. Over the last decade, the number of cases of foodborne illnesses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodborne_illness) has gone up dramatically. There are reasons for this, experts say. The breach in security, per se, can be attributed to the rise in the consumption of produce in an effort to achieve better health. The problem is that produce is often consumed raw, and bacteria have not been killed because of the lacking cooking process. Another reason is due to the growing number of elderly citizens who are more susceptable to illness. Finally, processing and distribution are large-scale, therefore foodborne illnesses are more present on larger scales. The debate ensues whether there should be more regulation by the FDA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FDA), or should the industry place higher regulations on their own companies. Parties in favor of more government regulation believe that one central agency should be in charge, and say that the growth of foodborne illnesses coincide with cuts in funding to the FDA. Others who are in favor of industry regulation believe that the companies want to stay in business, therefore they will protect their businesses by all means, including stricter safety regulations.

These two perspectives are both agreeable in my opinion. Therefore, why is it out of our power to have a government agency watching over our food industry with enhanced regulations, whilst businesses place stricter regulations upon the food coming out of their facilities. This combined power would ensure safer food standards in our country. A source with views similar to mine is http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/26630/traceability-prevent-recover-foodborne.

Issue 1: http://briansoccer77.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-one-comprehensive-vs-incremental.html
Issue 2: http://katieireneiverson.blogspot.com/2010/11/issue-2-ensuring-quality-care-for.html

Rhino Killed by Poachers

Stumpy, the 41-year-old black rhino, was a staple in the Lewa Conservancy in Kenya. Poachers snuck onto the wildlife refuge in the early hours of the morning and encountered the unfortunate victim. The conservation officers heard gunshots around 3:45 a.m. and when the sun began to rise, they discovered the foot prints of four poachers. They followed the tracks and discovered their worst fears - the carcass of the black rhino. On a happier note, the calf accompanying the slaughtered animal escaped with minor gun shot wounds. The poaching of rhinos has increased dramatically as of late due to increased demand the horns of the animals in Asia for medicinal purposes.

News such as this is saddening in the worst degree - the barbarism men utilize is inhumane. Poaching animals is wrong - killing in general is wrong, but certain animals are justified in dying for reasons I will never understand - but, these animals, whose numbers exceeded 20,000 in Kenya, are now on the brink of being wiped clean from the country with less than 300. Another sad statistic is that, on average, one poaching occurs daily. Without the protection of these conservancies, the situation would spiral out of control. Thank the world for those who care about the creatures that we coexist everyday with.