it seems to me that the only solution is to double the amount of inspectors. Though doubling the current number of inpectors only gives us an additional four hundred agents, the company/inspector ratio is lowered from 142.5:1 to 71.25:1. Not only would this create a genuine awareness in the food industry that the FDA is intent on making consumption safer for America, but also we would benefit form the citing of more violations. The imposition of larger penalties will be an integral part of making our food supply safer. First, the FDA will directly benefit from larger monetary penalties as the increased revenue from fines can be used to subsidize the addition of agents on an annual basis. This way, the number of agents will continue to grow to meet rising needs of the expanding food market. Next, the stiffer fines will also make it more of a risk for the companies who choose not to conform to governmental regulations. Thus, as the penalties pose larger financial risk for companies, would be violators will begin to find compliance more beneficial. As the addition of supplementary agents will naturally lead to the discovery of added violations, more food suppliers will begin to tighten quality control standards on their own. The effect is similar to a traffic cop handing out speeding tickets in a neighborhood. Not only does the police presence tend to slow violators, but also as more citations are issued, citizens sense the threat of being caught to be ever more impending and comply accordingly.Another important facet of prevention is education. If funds are available after the FDA size increase, attention should be given to the education of the American consumer. In addition to the standard regulation of food purveyors, those who are being held suspect of possible violations should be warned and those concerns publicly disclosed so that the consumer may respond accordingly. Despite regulations, not all violations are blatant...
