American Food Safety System Failing; U.S. to Projected to Produce 30 Percent of World Corn
Last week - New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation that would give the USDA mandatory recall authority over contaminated meat and poultry. Gillibrand says the American food safety system is failing to protect Americans - leaving thousands of people hospitalized every year with preventable illnesses. She says poultry and meat known to be contaminated should never end up in market fridges and freezers or kitchens. Through this legislation the Food Safety and Inspection Service would be granted authority to require companies to recall contaminated food and notify consumers - and state and local health officials - of an ongoing recall.
It’s projected the U.S. will produce its largest corn crop ever this year - but the U.S. Grains Council notes Argentina, Mexico and Serbia are also increasing their production. The top four corn exporting countries are the U.S., Argentina, Brazil and Ukraine. These competitors are projected to produce 11-percent of world corn - yet they are expected to provide about 40-percent of world exports. The U.S. is projected to produce about 30-percent of world corn and provide 35-percent of world exports.