The religion of farmers markets

TK: Selling out of the back of a truck from unrefrigerated displays and well- worn bushel baskets. No packaging to speak of , not to mention PMA-approved traceability code. Embraced by government and bathed in goodwill by the public, the farmers' markets get more hallowed press treatment than nearly any other institution.

My wife was at the Overland Park farmers market last week and gushed about it. I enjoy walking around the farmers market and visiting with vendors, too.

During the middle of summer, you can search the Web and find dozens of feel- good stories about local food and farmers markets. That's why I noted with interest when Doug Powell of the K-State's Food Safety Network had a few asides in a recent Food Safety Network report.
From the Food Safety Network report:

MARYLAND: As food safety concerns grow, experts say buy local, be vigilant
26.jul.07
Community Times
Susan C. Ingram
With what seems like an ever-increasing amount of food safety scares and recalls in recent months, experts say, according to this story, the best way to avoid food-borne illnesses is to buy local (what experts? -- dp) and be vigilant when handling edibles.Mary Concannon, a nutrition educator for the Maryland Cooperative Extension service, was cited as saying that getting to know who is growing your food and where and how it’s grown goes a long way to buying safe food (it does? Where's the data -- dp)Also reducing the distance, time and number of people handling food before it gets to your table can help lower the chances of food contamination. “Fifty percent of food safety problems are related to personal hygiene,” Concannon said.The story goes on to say that shoppers can do a lot to help assure that what they bring home won’t make them sick. The Be Food Safe campaign (befoodsafe.gov), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture distills home food safety to four easily remembered words: clean, separate, cook and chill.Before handling food, especially raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs wash hands, utensils and cutting boards and separate raw meat and poultry from foods that won’t be cooked for the meal. Use a food thermometer and don’t leave food sitting out. Chill foods within two hours and keep refrigerators at or below 40 degrees.“A food thermometer is the only way to tell if food is cooked properly,” Concannon said.Recommended internal cooking temperatures for meat and poultry vary, but a sampling includes 145 degrees Fahrenheit for cuts of beef, veal, lamb, roasts and fish. Pork should reach an internal temperature of 160 F, as should ground meats.Egg dishes, such as quiche also need to be heated to at least 160 F. New guidelines for poultry say whole, ground or pieces of turkey, chicken and duck need to be heated to 165 F.For more information on cooking temperatures go to www.isitdoneyet.gov.

TK: Doug is a sometimes reader of the blog and it would be interesting to expand the conversation about farmers' markets and food safety. What are the number of cases of foodborne illness cases related to farmers markets? Does direct marketing by farmers get a pass on food safety issues? Is local food safer? What should be the threshold of regulation for small truck farmers if more stringent national food safety guidelines are enacted?