Controversial food safety rule shows why more transparency is needed at FDA

Opposition forced the Food and Drug Administration to recently announce it is reconsidering a controversial proposed rule intended to reduce food poisoning by implementing safety standards for farms where certain produce is grown.

The rule, first offered in January 2013, had several unintended consequences – especially for small farms and consumers – that far outweighed any health and safety benefits. The reconsideration is a welcome development for thousands of hard-working farmers and the countless number of American families forced by current economic conditions to live paycheck-to-paycheck.