This week on Straight, No Chaser, Katy Keiffer sits down to chat with Steve Jenkins of Fairway Market and Michele Buster of Forever Cheese to have an in-depth conversation on the import/export process as it relates to foreign and domestic artisanal cheese. Find out why Steve thinks the government has made it impossible through regulations and restrictions to price domestic artisanal cheese competitively and how some of the product that gets imported to our country is destroyed for reasons as silly as label misprints. Also find out why Steve believes government mandated testing for olive oil is a nightmare. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market.

“Meat actually has a sturdier life than cheese does. You have to use kid gloves to bring cheese in [from abroad].”

“We’ve always believed that, as a whole, it’s best to promote all cheese, not just imported cheese.”

–Michele Buster of Forever Cheese on Straight, No Chaser

“The truth is, the stuff that we import is the most precious and unforgettable food items you could possibly want to get your hands on as an American.”

“The [FDA] makes us destroy things with simple labeling errors, not because there was anything wrong with the food. Then they charge you to destroy it! It’s big-mamma government just waltzing around, sitting on everybody’s face and I’ve had it up to here with it.”

–Steve Jenkins of Fairway Market on Straight, No Chaser