Wolff Is Needed In Washington

The Organic Consumers Association, Oregon’s Physicians for Social Responsibility and other activists groups are strenuously opposing Pennsylvania Ag Secretary Dennis Wolff as the nominee for USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety. I’d expect no less from groups that froth at the mouth about a lot of issues they have only a cosmetic understanding of.

Yes, I know Wolff. He’s a good, practical-minded man and a past Master Farmer who has admirably led the state Ag Department and the Northeast through a number of thorny issues – including the notorious milk labeling controversy over recombinant bovine somatotropin, rBST for short.

As a former commercial dairyman, he also tried to be as fair and open-minded about raw milk regulation and enforcement. His administration has been tough-minded on puppy kennels. He has proven to be an able administrator and leader on many Northeast ag issues.

Did I say he was fair-minded and practical? I believe that’s exactly what most of us who don’t froth at the mouth want in the leadership of food safety issues of the future. And there will be many of them.

What I don’t understand is how a nice guy like Wolff would want to finish his career inside the Washington Beltway. But he ardently believes in public service and giving back. And we need more people like him running our country – a lot more!

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