What basket are your eggs in?

Food recalls, contamination, problems in the "food supply"--these are fairly common news items these days.  It is unfortunate, to say the least.  I wasn't even going to comment on the latest salmonella outbreak, but the story of billions of eggs being recalled remains at the top of the newscast. 

I wasn't going to comment because we  have been here before.  In fact, if you dig a little deeper you'll find recalls and questions about our food safety are being raised all of the time.  This time it is eggs--but remember the spinach scare of 2006?  Did you miss the spinach recall last month?  Beef, chicken, pork--they've had their day too.

But here's what really got me:  when I heard the story being pitched as a problem with the FDA and our system of inspection I nearly lost it.  The problem isn't whether we have enough inspectors to catch the problems in the food supply--the problem IS the food supply.

As commenters on my previous post have stated--we are so glad we have access to good local eggs.  Many of us, even when not purchasing eggs produced by organic feed supplemented, pasture raised hens, have access to, and can afford to buy local eggs.  Why would we buy eggs from Iowa?  Why would we think confinement factory chickens would only produce problems concerning meat chickens and not the eggs laid by the hens? 

I know that buying local eggs is no guarantee against food-borne illness.  But I also have the email addresses and phone numbers of the three farms that produce the eggs I usually purchase so if there ever was to be a problem it wouldn't take too long to get to the bottom of it. 

I just have to wonder, how many recalls, sick people, and wasted food will we have to endure before we realize that our "conventional" food system isn't working?  Small family farms--as much as I rely on them--aren't the total answer to feeding the voracious American appetite either, but between these two poles there has to be a better way.

Comments

[Holly Knott]

I don't understand why we need to purchase products like this from distant states, either, if we have them growing locally. Wouldn't the prices go down if they don't have to roll shipping costs into the equation? BTW, I think I saw you at B&N in DeWitt yesterday! I recognized you from "somewhere" but wasn't sure, and it was only after you left that I realized I recognized you from your blog photo here even tho we've never met in person. (Unless that wasn't you, and you have a twin!) :-)

[JenniferBB]

Hi Holly--no twin--that was me! Hopefully we'll get a chance to say hello next time!

[linuxgrl]

I'm curious where to get the best local eggs. I've gotten them once or twice at the CNY regional market but I'm partial to Stick and Stone farm at the Ithaca market. Consistently fantastic eggs.

[Jennifer BB]

Ah yes, Stick and Stone is a great farm. Around the parts, we're partial to Two Hearts Farm eggs which can be found at the Syracuse Real Food Co-op. But other farms such as Creekside Meadows farm has eggs--you can pick them up at Stones Throw Farm in South Onondaga. Wendy Gornick has great eggs at the Regional Market as does Finger Lakes Family Farms. Green Planet Grocery carries local eggs as well. Hope that helps!

[Jill_hw]

Jennifer, as various recalls come and go, I'm always heartened to see that "whatever it is" is something we tend to purchase from a local farm (or in a very cases, grow ourselves). You're correct that even a local farmer can run into quality problems, but you'll also very correct that getting down to the root cause would be much easier than figuring out these behemoth food "manufacturers".