I didn’t write the headline, but this is now running in the Toronto Star, regarding the article, Low blow from Loblaw boss gets farmers’ goat, Feb. 8.

It’s not that a grocery mogul told the Canadian Food Summit that “one day, (farmers’ markets) are going to kill some people,” it’s that no one in the farmers’ market community responded with any kind of microbiological food safety comment, resorting instead to: trust us and we’re inspected.

Robert Chorney, the executive director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, promoted a few food safety myths of his own, saying that markets are regularly inspected and food is easily traceable because consumers know who they’re buying from.

Inspections don’t mean much. And just because someone drives to the Food Terminal in Toronto to load up on produce at 3 a.m. and then sell it at a premium at the local market adds nothing to traceability.

Pointing to surveys showing consumers think food at farmers’ markets is safer means nothing regarding the actual microbiological safety of any food. And surveys suck.

When I go to a farmer’s market or a megalomarket run by the Westons, I ask questions about the quality of irrigation water, what kind of soil amendments are used, and employee handwashing programs. I ask about microbial test strategies and results as verification that the farmer, whether she bought it from the Food Terminal or grew it herself, has a clue about dangerous micro-organisms.

Most answer with variations of trust me. There’s already enough faith-based food safety out there.

I don’t care if it’s a farmers’ market or Loblaws: provide evidence that the food you’re flogging is microbiologically safe. The best producers and retailers will market food safety at retail.

Regardless of size, production method or retail experience, providers either know about microbial food safety risks and take serious steps to control those risks — or they don’t.

Dr. Douglas Powell, professor, food safety, Kansas State University