After seven years of discussions about food safety advice on the farm, the F.D.A. has issued only voluntary guidelines; not even hand-washing is mandatory. "Dr. von Eschenbach, the F.D.A.’s current commissioner, said: 'Guidances are the most powerful because they give us the flexibility to update science. Regulations are more cumbersome.'” You know, just in case someday science shows that hand-washing isn't useful. After reading this, I'm more scared of our food supply than ever.