To the editor:

The Feb. 6 editorial questions the wisdom of Gov. Sebelius’ reorganization order that moves certain food-safety functions to the Department of Agriculture from the Department of Health and Environment.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has conducted food-safety inspections for decades. We make sure consumers receive safe, wholesome meat and poultry, milk and dairy products, and eggs. Our food-safety professionals take their obligations seriously, and they will be just as committed to their new responsibilities.

The governor’s order to move most food-safety responsibilities to the Department of Agriculture will allow food manufacturers and retail facilities to work with a single agency on food-safety issues. It also allows for more efficient use of tax dollars, since many facilities currently are inspected by both KDA and KDHE.

It’s true that I am an advocate for Kansas agriculture. I speak for Kansas’ 63,000 farmers and ranchers whenever national and state agriculture policy are discussed. But that does not mean I condone lax food-safety regulation enforcement. My credibility rests on the strength of the Department of Agriculture’s regulatory programs, as does the reputation of Kansas food producers and processors as sources of safe, wholesome food.

A food-safety system doesn’t have to be broken to warrant being improved. Gov. Sebelius saw an opportunity to create a seamless system and to achieve greater efficiency by moving certain food-safety responsibilities to Department of Agriculture. Her vision for effective, streamlined food-safety inspection shouldn’t be dismissed for the sake of maintaining the status quo.

Adrian Polansky,

Kansas secretary of agriculture,

Topeka