The President of the American Samoa Farmers Co-op, Senator Tuanaitau Malaki Togiola, fully supports the Department of Education’s decision not to accept locally grown produce for the School Lunch Program until all farms are inspected and certified.
Tuanaitau said after the discovery of unsafe practices on some local farms, this was the fairest and safest way to ensure that the food being fed to school children are safe. He was referring to the use of insecticides to hasten the ripening of fruits like bananas and papayas, unsanitary conditions on farms, and the use of unauthorized pesticides and fertilizers.
The School Lunch Program informed farmers a week ago that it will no longer accept local produce until farms are inspected and owners and workers undergo training from the American Samoa Environmental Agency and Department of Agriculture. All farm workers must also have health cards.
Tuanaitau said their Co-op has 70 members, 15 of whom are Asian farmers. He says he has been farming for 40 years and there were never any incidents or concerns about food safety until the recent discoveries. He fully agrees with the move taken by the Department of Education to stop accepting locally grown produce until all farms are inspected and certified. He reiterated that the health and safety of school children should not be gambled with.
