Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Harvest Public Media is a reporting collaboration focused on issues of food, fuel and field. Based at KCUR in Kansas City, Harvest covers these agriculture-related topics through an expanding network of reporters and partner stations throughout the Midwest.Most Harvest Public Media stories begin with radio- regular reports are aired on member stations in the Midwest. But Harvest also explores issues through online analyses, television documentaries and features, podcasts, photography, video, blogs and social networking. They are committed to the highest journalistic standards. Click here to read their ethics standards.Harvest Public Media was launched in 2010 with the support of a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Today, the collaboration is supported by CPB, the partner stations, and contributions from underwriters and individuals.Tri States Public Radio is an associate partner of Harvest Public Media. You can play an important role in helping Harvest Public Media and Tri States Public Radio improve our coverage of food, field and fuel issues by joining the Harvest Network.

Most Imported Food Not Inspected

Karimian/Flickr

Food and Drug Administration regulators inspected less than two-percent of the food shipments that were imported to the U.S. in the 2012 fiscal year.

The finding is from a new report on the FDA’s food safety measures.

The report said more than 98% of imported food shipments, from coffee to seafood to fruit, were not physically inspected by federal authorities.

I don't think consumers have to be necessarily extremely concerned but it's something that they can think about...

FDA inspectors are responsible for all domestic and imported food except meat, poultry and eggs. Those fall under US Department of Agriculture purview.

“I don’t think consumers have to be necessarily extremely concerned but it’s something that they can think about and make choices accordingly,” said Londa Nwadike,  Food Safety Educator for the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.

She pointed out many retailers have their own food safety inspection plans in place.

Nwadike also said the FDA tries to make sure it’s inspecting the highest risk products so it can find the things that would most likely cause food borne illness.

Higher risk products on FDA’s radar include cheese, produce and fish.

The FDA said all imports are being electronically screened. That helps inspectors determine the shipments that pose the greatest risk and therefore should be physically examined.

Abbie Fentress Swanson left KBIA at the end of 2013.