The US food system is widely recognized as one of the safest in the world. Nevertheless, about one in every six American is sick every year from eating a contaminated food product. Food safety incidents often make the news and many perceive the US food system as vulnerable.

The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 introduced many of the Farm Bill provisions that remain present today, including precursors to the current food and nutrition programs (FANPs). This policy served multiple purposes, including enhanced demand for farm products to alleviate low farm income and reduce agricultural surpluses, and enhanced food security and improved nutrition for the poor.

Initiatives to expand regulation of the food industries with the overall goal of increasing competition and commodity prices farmers receive often have the unintended consequence of raising consumer prices and lowering farmers’ prices while reducing the quality and variety of food products available to consumers.

The Beeb once had (and perhaps still has) a great segment called “without comment” in which clips of incredible things are played.  Here’s your print version of our own “without comment” today, from yesterday’s jaw-dropping daily State Department presser discussing the suspension of food aid to North Korea.

Two months ago, the House adopted a budget resolution that outlines the Republican majority's ambitious plans to slow the growth of federal entitlement spending. If implemented properly, entitlement spending restraint can address the long-term fiscal imbalance in a way that promotes economic growth and freedom.

The FDA's efforts to resolve scientific differences and to take final actions are causing it to miss review goals that it commits to as part of the PDUFA.

The number of food-borne illness outbreaks has not been increasing. Food-safety agencies have been getting worse at identifying the causes of outbreaks.

A total of 15 different U.S. food and nutrition programs (FANPs) serve about one in four Americans at a current annual cost of almost $100 billion. Can the government actually improve our personal eating habits? Are these billions of dollars well-spent?