This Week's New Focus

President Obama has decided to not only worry about the economy this week. He has made the decision to focus on the public's health including the safety of the foods that we eat. President Obama has said that the way we deal with stress is by eating. With the economy the way it is, food and stress have become very closely related.

President Obama has declared that Food Safety today is unacceptable. The government has overlooked checking on 95% of food plants which has resulted in Obama announcing new rules for food regulation. He has proposed that the Food and Drug Administration try to find ways of new funding.

Mr. Obama wants the United States to continue being the safest place in the world for purchasing and digesting food and medicine. He said that this may change because of all of the problems we have had in the last few years. Problems such as contaminated spinach, salmonella in peppers and tomatoes, and this year's peanut product contamination.

A main reason for all of the problems are many of the laws and regulations for the food safety of America have not been updated since their creation in the time of Teddy Roosevelt. Another reason is that our system of enforcement and inspection is so widely dispersed. It makes it hard for the government to share information and work together. The FDA has also been under funded and short staffed. These problems are hazardous to America's health.