John M. Antle believes a 100 percent safe food supply is an unattainable goal, and he suggests that choices must be made between different dimensions of food safety (for instance between the regulation of pesticide use and the prevention of food-borne illness) and between a safer food supply and other uses of public and private resources. He examines the appropriate role of government in food safety, looks at what economic principles should guide regulation in this area, and details the changes that should be made in federal policies.

John M. Antle is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University.