Looking for the healthiest food you can buy for your family? Buy domestic. American-grown food comes with some assurances that imported food does not.

For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture makes sure the food products are safe to grow. Our Food and Drug Administration makes sure the food products are safe to eat; the Environmental Protection Agency oversees environmental regulations; and Department of Labor protects our workforce. We’re covered on all fronts.

Imported food, on the other hand, is subject to limited inspection and not subject to the same regulations and standards that our domestically-produced food is. Thirteen percent of our food is imported from China. Imported also is some inherent risk.

In addition to the debate over national versus foreign-grown foods, there is a discussion simmering on whether organic food is better for us than conventionally-grown food. The answer is: it doesn’t matter. There is no evidence that organically produced food is any safer than food produced by any other method of farming, nor is there a clear nutritional bonus to eating organic. However, anytime you can by local produce, it will be fresher and healthier.

I support the entrepreneurial spirit of the American agricultural industry, which recognizes organic farming, as well as conventional or biotechnological farming. At the end of the day, I just want to know that the food I am eating is safe; and if it is domestically produced and I’ve prepared it properly, I am satisfied that it is safe and healthy.

1. Sara Says:
   November 13th, 2007 at 3:24pm

   Karri:

   I agree that the closer to home we get with our food, the more accountability ther is. Our government agencies get a bad rap, but they do a very important job in setting and enforcing our food safety regs. Although there is some oversight of imported foods, they generally are not subject to the same scrutiny as our US-produced food.

   Sara