- Calls to Action, Food, Energy, and Agriculture Commentary, Press Release
- September 13, 2010
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Thicke Lays Out Action Plan To Return Integrity To Iowa-Produced Eggs
by Press ReleaseAg secretary challenger calls for adoption of regulatory framework that has worked successfully in Maine for 22 years
SPENCER, Iowa, September 11, 2010 – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture candidate Francis Thicke (pronounced TICK-ee) today proposed regulatory framework modeled after a program that has been used successfully in Maine for 22 years to return integrity to Iowa-produced eggs. Thicke, a southeast Iowa dairy farmer, soil scientist and national expert on sustainable agriculture, called for overhaul of the egg industry oversight system when he met one-term Republican Bill Northey in a debate at the Clay County Fair in Spencer.
Following is the text of Thicke’s opening statement:
“Normally in a debate I would begin by laying out my vision for Iowa agriculture and food production. However, Iowa is under a national microscope. The egg recall and nationwide Salmonella food poisoning from Iowa eggs have damaged Iowa’s reputation. The Iowa Secretary of Agriculture should, above all, be the spokesperson for Iowa’s agriculture and food system and should be taking action to assure Iowans and the nation that this problem is being addressed.
I don’t see that happening. It’s not enough for the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture to say that this is a federal problem and that he is going to wait for an FDA report to see what the problem is. That does nothing to restore confidence in the integrity and reputation of Iowa’s food and agriculture system.
Preliminary indications are that the Salmonella contamination came from a commercial feed mill, owned by Jack DeCoster, which delivered feed to two Iowa egg-laying facilities. We know from Iowa Code, Chapter 198, that the Secretary of Agriculture has the authority and responsibility to inspect and ensure the integrity of feed mills that produce commercial feed. But the secretary denies his authority to inspect the DeCoster feed mill, even though the law explicitly states that feed mills that sell feed or distribute feed to contract feeders should be licensed and inspected. Mr. Northey contends that DeCoster has a loophole exemption. What he does not say is that the law also says that the secretary has the authority to adopt rules to carry out the purpose and intent of Chapter 198. In other words, he has the authority to close loopholes in the law through rule-making.
As Secretary of Agriculture, I would not only fulfill my responsibility to inspect commercial feed mills, I would also lay out a regulatory framework to ensure food safety in the egg industry. After reviewing the new FDA egg rule and consulting with scientists working in this arena, I propose that the Iowa Legislature should adopt the model used by the State of Maine, which has been in place for 22 years and has been effective in protecting Maine’s eggs from Salmonella enteritidis.
The State of Maine’s egg safety program complements the new FDA egg rule and shores up weaknesses in the federal rule. Specifically, the Maine program has three features that go beyond the requirements of the new FDA egg rule: 1) An effective program for vaccination of laying hens; 2) Monthly inspection of laying facilities for sanitation, and testing for Salmonella within the building; and 3) Egg testing when Salmonella is found in the building.
These measures have worked well to protect the safety of Maine’s egg industry and would work well here in Iowa as well. As the No. 1 producer of eggs, Iowa should also be No. 1 in egg safety.”
FRANCIS THICKE BACKGROUND:
Francis Thicke has been a full-time farmer for 27 years, is a scientist with a Ph.D. in agronomy/soil fertility, and has worked in the past at the USDA in Washington, D.C., where he served as National Program Leader for Soil Science. A frequently consulted national expert on agricultural sustainability, Thicke and his wife, Susan, own and operate an 80-cow organic, grass-based dairy near Fairfield, where they process milk on the farm into bottled milk, yogurt and cheese marketed locally through Fairfield grocery stores and restaurants. For additional information on his campaign for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, go to www.ThickeForAgriculture.com.
1 Comment
i wish all good luck to the iowa for taking the measures to prevent further dis-reputation about eggs.