Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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September 01, 2024
WHEREAS, September is National Food Safety Education Month, a great time to explore ways to promote safe food handling and prevent foodborne illnesses; and,
WHEREAS, food is an important source of nourishment and comfort, and consuming healthy foods helps us stay well, but an important part of healthy eating is keeping food safe; and,
WHEREAS, the U.S. food supply is among the safest in the world, but organisms that you can’t see, smell, or taste, bacteria, viruses, and tiny parasites – occur naturally in the environment; and,
WHEREAS, every year, an estimated 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from eating contaminated food; and foodborne illness costs Americans billions of dollars each year, serving as a constant challenge for consumers, researchers, government and industry; and,
WHEREAS, assuring the safety of the food supply is a top priority for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the state’s local health departments and federal government partners; and,
WHEREAS, every Michigander plays a role in keeping food safe, wholesome, and nutritious, and this means paying close attention to personal hygiene like hand washing, keeping food preparation and storage areas clean and sanitized, achieving and maintaining temperature control for safety, and, properly discarding food that is no longer wholesome or past its expiration date; and,
WHEREAS, food safety and public health officials agree that along with efforts to identify, assess, and control microbiological hazards associated with each segment of the food production system, teaching everyone about safe food handling must be a national priority; and consumers, as the last stop in the farm-to-table continuum, have an important role to play in reducing their risk of foodborne illness;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 2024 as Michigan Food Safety Education and Awareness Month in Michigan. I encourage everyone to celebrate the importance of food safety with educational activities and observances that promote food safety measures.