10.
Food Safety & Agricultural Chemicals
as an Ethical Issue
Larry D. Sanders
AGEC 4990: Spring 2002
Dept. of Ag Economics Oklahoma State University
1
INTRODUCTION


Purpose:
– to understand ethical issues related to the use of
agricultural chemicals in food production/processing
Learning Objectives:
1. To become aware of the impact of agricultural impact
on food safety.
2. To review current policy related to agricultural
chemical use in food production.
3. To understand the ethical issues related to the use of
agricultural chemicals in food production/processing.
2
Food Safety:
Are producers the problem?
 Some
of the public is concerned about
pesticide use/residue
 While HACCP* hasn’t yet targeted
producers, “traceback” could do so
 Food Quality Protection Act imposes new
responsibilities on chemical use
*Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
3
Food Safety Policy:
Background Issues
 Risk Acceptability--Tolerance
–
–
–
–
FOOD
Options:
Zero Tolerance
De Minimus (Negligible) Risk (1/1 mil)
No Significant Risk (1/100,000)
Risk Benefit (Benefits > Costs)
???
 Biotechnology
 Information
& Labelling
 Irradiation
 “Traceback”
 Free
Market
4
Is Our Food Supply Safe?
Are Ag Chemicals a Health Hazard?
 PRIVATE
CHOICES & PUBLIC ISSUES:
“Americans decide as a matter of public policy
how much risk they are prepared to tolerate, but
they do not do it in the same way at all times in all
places & in all contexts. . . .”
D. Kennedy, Former FDA Commissioner
 EXAMPLES
Saccharine
Caffeine
Nuclear Power
Tobacco
E.Coli/meat consumption
Cyanide/Grapes Water
Red food dye/M&M’s
Alar & Apples
Autos
Alcohol
Sweets
5
The Public Issue of Food Safety
 “Determination
of ‘safe’ food does not necessarily
imply zero risk but rather a personal & societal
judgment about the level of acceptable risk. The
basic economic problem . . . is one of balance
between acceptable risk . . . in terms of health
consequences, & cost.” Sporleder & Kramer, ‘89
 Concerns trace back in history; resurface in 1960s
(additives), & in 1980s (pesticides)
 Issue has shifted from scientific debate to
consumer, media & political debate
6
Cancer Risks of Common Substances & Risk of Lifethreatening Harm w/Selected Activities
(Ames, Wilson, Crouch)
Source
Risk
PCB’s
DDT/DDE
Tap water
Peanut Butter(2T)
Diet Cola
Background radiation
Raw mushroom(1/day)
Home accidents
Police work
Auto accident
Beer(12 oz/day)
Wine(8 oz/day)
cigarettes (pack/day)
1/15 million
1/10 million
1/3.3 million
1/115,000
1/60,000
1/50,000
1/35,000
1/9,000
1/4,500
1/4,200
1/1,200
1/750
1/300
7
Top Food Safety Hazards:
Perception Vs. Reality
 Consumer perception:
1990: pesticide residue in food
1997: both pesticides & food-borne diseases
 SCIENTIFIC
FACTS BASED ON ANALYSIS
(ranked in order):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Food-borne diseases
Malnutrition
Environmental contaminants (lead/mercury)
Naturally occurring toxins
Pesticide residue
Deliberate food additives
8
Food Safety:
Scientific Studies--results
 Ames
study:
– 99.9% of carcinogens in diets result of natural
toxins in plant
– By weight, natural toxins about 10,000 times
more concentrated in plants than synthetic
chemicals
 Pesticide residue-tested food:
– 67% --no residue
– 96% --residue in allowable limits
– <1% --exceeds federal tolerance
9
Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
 Amends
FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act) & FFDCA (Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act)
 Includes uniform safety standard for residues in raw &
processed foods
 Generally prohibits states from setting standards that differ
from federal standards
 Facilitates registration for pesticides for specialty, minor
crops
 Improves consumer access to info
 EPA will consider pesticide residue risk to infants/children
 Provisions leading to lowering residue allowable levels
10
FQPA (continued)
 May
reduce risks, especially to children
 Lack of substitutes shifts producers to narrow spectrum &
time specific chemical alternatives, bio-engineered options
& biologicals
– high management & high cost
 Regional impacts vary
– shifts competitive advantage for some crops &
production practices
 Crop impacts vary
– estimated losses of $90-$128 mil for Oklahoma crops
 Implementation under review by Congress
11
Government Intervention Decision
Based on Various Ethical Perspectives
 Procedural
Theory
– Notion of consent requires either
private independent agency or
government objective agency
 Libertarian
Theory
– Negative Rights justifies consumer
protection to keep them free of bodily
harm from industry
 Egalitarian
Theory
– Positive Right of individual to safety
12
Government Intervention Decision Based
on Various Ethical Perspectives (continued)
 Utilitarian
Theory
– Market benefits of safe food are
greater than the costs to provide it
– Market and nonmarket benefits of
safe food (& attendant cleaner
environment) are greater than the
costs
 Intrinsic
Rights
– The protection of all species
(human & non human animals &
plants) is of primary importance
13
Rank what you consider to be the most
serious food safety hazards (1=most serious)
____Deliberate food additives
____environmental contaminants (lead/mercury)
____foodborne diseases
____malnutrition
____naturally occurring toxins
____pesticide residue
14