As we shared in a recent blog post, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its 2020 pesticide residue monitoring results this month.  A direct quote from the FDA report: “Results in the report demonstrate that levels of pesticide residues in the U.S. food supply are well below established safety standards.”

Seems like a pretty clear statement about the safety of our food supply.

Enter certain activist groups and their disinformation about the FDA residue report.  One group inaccurately claimed “FDA tests find U.S. food supply awash in pesticide residues.” Awash? While another group referenced “toxic and dangerous pesticides present in U.S. foods” in its post about FDA findings.  What?

How do you get to that?

It should be noted that the FDA findings are consistent with results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Pesticide Data Program which found that more than 99% of the foods tested had residues well below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety standards with a third having no detectable residues at all.  The USDA states: “Based on the PDP data, consumers can feel confident about eating a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.”

The good news is that the Alliance for Food and Farming’s recent research project found that consumers believe and listen to the government with 78% stating there are confident “that government regulations and other food safety efforts are working well to protect public health.”  And, by a significant two-to-one margin, consumers state they agree with the government-based safety information which is routinely shared by the AFF over the disinformation shared by activists.

While the AFF research project results are encouraging, with only one in 10 Americans eating enough fruits and vegetable each day, it is important to provide science-based, transparent and accurate information so consumers can make the right shopping choices for themselves and their families.

This recommendation is supported by peer reviewed research from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future which concluded in its study regarding consumers’ perceptions of healthy eating: “In order to empower consumers to make healthy choices, we need to create dietary advice that is culturally sensitive, based on economically accessible foods, and takes into account the many competing messages about diet and health that bombard consumers on a regular basis.”

Read, learn, choose but eat more produce every day for improved health and a longer life. And, don’t let anyone or any group discourage you from choosing the fruits and veggies that are affordable and accessible for you and your family.

(The AFF conducted a comprehensive research project in 2022 which included a series of virtual focus groups followed by a nationwide survey to determine changes in the levels of concern among consumers about safety issues specific to produce.  This research was conducted to help improve overall information-sharing that will reassure consumers about produce safety.  The AFF is the only organization that conducts broad-based, national research specific to produce safety.)