Ag Policy, Lecture 18 Environmental Policy (Knutson Chapter 9) Food Safety & Security (Knutson Chapter 10) Food Assistance & Nutrition (Knutson Chapter 11) Agricultural Policy Stakeholders (Knutson Chapter 12)

Environmental Policy What economic principle creates the policy motivation concerning environmental regulation?

Environmental Policy Government Contributors Development and Implementation Congress –Policy Development Environmental Protection Agency (1972) –Implementation –Writes Regulations & Rules State EPA’s –Enforcement –Handles Permits Cities –Zoning Courts also play a role in dispute settlement

Environmental Policy Concepts Pollution –Point Source vs. Non-Point Source Willingness to Pay for a Environment

Environmental Policy Issues Water Quality Air Quality Global Warming Policy Options –Common Law –Proscribing vs. Prescribing –Practices vs. Performance –Cost Sharing (EQIP, CSP) –Cross-Compliance –Taxation –Right-to-farm laws

Who is responsible for a food safety? Buyer beware Government Food Supply Chain

Who is responsible for a food safety? FDA –Processed –Food service USDA A number of other agencies participate Some have recommended a single food agency (would agriculture support this idea?)

Protecting Food Safety Who’s job is it? –USDA – inspects red meats, poultry, and processed eggs (1/4 of food) domestic 8,000 inspectors –FDA – inspects seafood, cooked, canned and baked products, whole eggs, produce and animal feed (3/4 of food) both domestic and imported. Also inspects animal feed and its label. 1,550 inspectors

Protecting Food Safety USDA meat inspectors –Inspector on site during operating hours at packing plants –6,500 slaughter houses in the USA –Monitor meat for signs of fecal matter and other problems –USDA can not force plant closure –But it can withhold USDA inspection stamp –USDA can also remove inspectors

Hierarchy of Concerns Matters of Life & Death Consumer’s Right to Know

Safety Concerns/Policy Standards Naturally occurring substances –Buyer beware –Education –Labeling Health problems –Education –Labeling –Self-regulation Chemical residues and additives –Self-regulation –No significant risk –Negligible risk –Reasonable certainty of no harm Biosafety/Food-borne pathogens –Negligible risk –Reasonable certainty of no harm –Zero Tolerance Bio-Terrorism

Range of Options How far should the government (society) go in assuring food safety What is the trade-off?

Pesticides and Food Additive Safety Delaney Clause (1958 Food Additives Amendment) –Zero tolerance –Proved unworkable due to technology Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 –Reasonable certainty of no harm as the standard for determining an acceptable level of risk

Animal ID and COOL National Animal Identification System –Tracking Animals –Controlling/Containing Disease Outbreaks –Tracking ends at slaughter Country Of Origin Labeling –Tracing food products through retail –Most products will be exempt

Food Assistance and Nutrition Policy Most severe hunger problems: –India, China, Southeast Asia and much of Africa Even affluent countries have hunger problems Hunger: Insufficient protein and calorie intake to maintain normal growth, health, and body function. 24

Factors Contributing to Hunger Problems Low Income Income Distribution Price of Food Lack of Education Poor Health War 24

Perspectives on Hunger Intervention Activist –Every human has a right to food that those who are not suffering have an obligation to supply even if it means self sacrifice Adapter –World scarcity decisions must be made balancing short and long-term needs Acceptor –Does not acknowledge there is a problem or need for intervention –Any intervention will likely create bigger problem

Reducing World Hunger Food Self-Sufficiency Food Price Controls Food Aid (short term) Food Assistance (longer term, programmatic) Education Health Care Private Land Ownership Infrastructure development Research

U.S. Hunger & Nutrition Policy U.S. total population 300 million U.S. Hunger –36 million labeled Food Insecure –9.6 million experienced hunger

U.S. Hunger & Nutrition Policy Options Food Assistance –Commodity Distribution –Food Stamps –Child Nutrition –Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) –Senior Nutrition Education –Dietary Guidelines –Labeling

Can you answer these? –Who contributes to environmental policy, and what is the role of each? –What is the difference between point source and non-point source pollution? –How does income affect a countries attitudes toward environmental policies? –Can you describe the primary environmental issues and policy options? –Can you describe the primary food safety concerns and policy standards? –Explain the trade-offs associated with achieving extremely high levels of food safety. –Explain how tolerance levels and technology have interacted over the years to change the way we approach pesticide residue and other contamination levels in food products. –What is the difference between the tracking of Animal ID and the traceability concept involved with COOL? –Can you discuss the factors that contribute to the hunger problem? –Can you discuss the options to help reduce world hunger? –What are the positives and negatives of Food Aid? –Can you discuss the primary components of U.S. Hunger & Nutrition policy? –Can you analyze the position of the 5 key stakeholder groups relative to various agricultural and food policies? Lecture 18, Wrap up