Again With The Beef

I suppose Lee Siegel would tell you the New York Times editorial page is more trustworthy than your truly when it comes to editorial advice. They are after all, professionals. But even my limitations as a mere citizen blogger can't hold me back from pointing out every stupid thing about today's New York Times editorial on the big beef recall. Remember, I blogged about the recall just a few days ago.

I particularly enjoy the call to "modernize and repair" our nation's food safety system. Hyperbole anyone? If anyone has a shred of evidence that our food system is less safe now than it was in the past, I'd love to see it. We here more news of outbreaks of food borne illnesses in recent years because we've gotten incredibly good at detecting such outbreaks. People get scared because respected media outlets like the New York Times perpetuate myths that we're facing a crisis in our food supply.

There are plenty of calls for regulatory changes- give the government power for mandatory recalls, make food producers track their supplies better, and merge all food regulation into one government super agency. Not a mention of what the specific problems are, let alone a mention of how these particular solutions would actually make the food supply any safer. But hey, who am I to complain. These are professionals, after all.