2017, 8, 29
Now is the best time to reform Food safety crisis
Following the tainted egg scandal, insecticides found in “chickens” are expected to cause huge concern. As even the one banned to be used 38 years ago due to its high toxicity was found, it seems all natural to distrust eggs or chickens. Unless a safer and more dependable food safety system is established, such problem will occur in the future. It is crucial to find out the largest structural problem in farms and operate a proper safety line.
Most livestock animals including chickens and pigs in Korea are locked up in small, crowded cages where the animals can’t move freely. Such breeding method exposes animals to contaminations of various harmful insects like ticks, leading to the inevitable use of insecticides. Harmful consequences of factory farming instead of cage-free farming will eventually threaten our health. If cage-free farming can’t be a practical solution, at least the size of the cages should become larger.
The government should pay attention to the shift of farming method. As the removal of steel-barred cages involves difficulties including financial problems of related industries, the government should suggest a realistic alternative. It might be a plan to come up with a compensation system where the producers receive tax benefits according to the farming method. Furthermore, if the livestock farming method is notified on the products to guarantee the consumers’ right to know and widen their options, safe food system can be secured.
Prime minister Lee Nak-yeon cited that the poor ‘environment-friendly certification’ in the inspection of tainted eggs is attributed to the intervention of so-called agriculture ministry mofia, strongly warning that it is a dangerous crime that holds national health hostage. This is the custom that should be eliminated. In order to operate the food system in our society in a safe way, private as well as public corporations should be united.
Korea has adhered to the burial of animals as shown in killing of chickens and ducks because of AI, burying cows and pigs alive due to foot-and-mouth disease and killing cows due to brucelliasis. However, what we need to consider ahead of settlement is a sustainable prevention. Livestock burying can cause secondary damages such as the land and groundwater pollution and the downsize of land use.
The government should come up with a sustainable alternative to settle the problems up to now and reinforce the independence of our food.
If all of us collect our wisdom to overcome the current situation, we can not only secure the agricultural competitiveness and come up with the foothold for reformation. This implies that the ones with vested rights should be held responsible.
