Remarks by Marc Grossman for the
United Farm Workers of America
Before the Senate Select Committee
on Food-borne Illness
February 28, 2007—state Capitol, Sacramento
Mr. Chairman, members. Marc Grossman for the United Farm Workers of America.
The UFW joins in close collaboration with our brothers and sisters in the Teamsters Union by voicing shared concern over the health of the agricultural industry.
Whether the leafy green industry is regulated by a marketing agreement or by state legislation, enforcement of enhanced regulations is entirely dependent on worker participation. It is clear that audits and external oversight are limited by lack of resources on the part of the FDA as well as Cal-OSHA, which enforces state field sanitation laws and regulations.
This is not likely to change. Currently, according to the General Accounting Office, random inspections of individual operations by FDA officials occur roughly once every five years. Even the chief medical officer, Dr. David W.K. Acheson at the Center for Food and Safety and Applied Nutrition of the FDA (who was quoted in the Wall Street Journal) stated FDA has nowhere near the resources to inspect hundreds of thousands of facilities that handle fresh produce in the United States.
As for Cal-OSHA, according to its database, from February 2006 to February 2007 there were a total of 201 inspections, including for field sanitation, out of more than 79,000 farms in California. At that rate it will take 396 years to inspect every farm once.
By the way, there were just 51 inspections confirmed in the vegetable industry that year.
This inspection rate has been pretty consistent under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
Senator Florez’ new inspection program, run by the Department of Health Services and financed with license fees paid by growers, would increase inspection capacity to some degree. Yet compliance would still largely rely on self-regulation.
Through our union contracts, the United Farm Workers uses the collective bargaining process as a private-sector enforcement mechanism. Through union contracts, the UFW ensures that field sanitation and other basic state and federal protections are enforced.
Adherence to best agricultural practices must occur daily with every piece of harvested and/or processed produce. Workers observe firsthand what safety practices are or are not being followed when properly trained to spot violations. But the only possible way to ensure that strict compliance occurs is by training, empowering and protecting workers when they do report a safety breach—allowing workers to take a proactive role in assuring the safety of our food supply.
Where farm workers have a voice on the job, through union contracts, that proactive role can be assured. Where they don’t, reforms such as mandatory training and whistle-blower protections are especially needed.
Thank you.
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