Reuters is reporting that the Chinese agriculture ministry announced Monday it will support the development of environmentally friendly farming practices, like growing organic produce, to help raise food safety standards.

Whoa. Organic is a process that has nothing to do with microbial food safety. Katija Blaine and I published results of an inquiry into microbial food safety considerations for organic produce production back in 2004.

But, maybe the Chinese are trying to appease the Americans, especially American consumers, who want all things natural and organic, regardless of what that actually means.

The official Farmers Daily quoted Vice Agriculture Minister, Niu Dun as telling a forum in the southeastern city of Xiamen that, "Rapidly developing (environmentally friendly farming) is of the most urgent need to guarantee food safety and protect public health.