This morning I received a very official sounding call from a person claiming to be a representative of the US Dept of Agriculture, who knew our name, address, income and number of employees. She said we hadn't responded to an important notification sent out in May, concerning new regulations for all businesses involved with food, but especially small ones like ours that serve baked goods. Due to the current rise in food-born illnesses, she stated that even kitchens not subject to restaurant regulations are now federally required to post food born illness warning signs in their kitchens, and that USDA would be stepping up stricter inspections as of August 1, 2008, and imposing fines on all businesses without the signs.

I asked if I could download the warning signs from the USDA website and laminate them, but she said that federal regulations require that the signs be official. And given the date and the Aug 1 deadline, should be sent out rush.The package we were to receive would contain 3-4 certified signs and the $199 would be invoiced for 30 days. When I balked at the cost, she assured me that small businesses will be reimbursed for the full amount when we filed our taxes. The Federal government didn't want to burden small businesses, but the food born illness scares lately (she mentioned the tomato salmonella one) had created an emergency regulation. There would be a second call to verify her call soon after, she said.

The verification-caller identified herself as Allison from Federal Medical Supplies, which I questioned. She politely and professionally referred all questions to the Food Safety/Health Department. She would be happy to have them call me back before continuing the order if I needed. I verified my address and acknowledged being notified of the required signs (I had just ordered reluctantly).

The number I had been given for the original caller was (800) 468-3622, but was busy when I called back with more questions. So I called the Virginia Department of Agriculture in Richmond, only to find out they knew of no new law with an Aug 1 deadline. Anyway, Dept of Agriculture mainly regulates grocery stores, she said. Next I spoke to Nelson County's local health department, responsible for our regular health inspections, and found out that the office had not heard of this new Aug

1 regulation, either. Then I called Albemarle food safety/health department to hear the same. Yet no one would confirm that it was a scam, until I phoned the US Dept of Agriculture in Omaha Nebraska, where an official gave me a lot of time on the phone, googling the numbers and names I gave her.

(866) 468-3622. She told me there was no way the USDA would be capable of phoning individual businesses, that the topics covered were more a health department concern, or an FDA issue, and such signs would never cost anything.

She recommended I call back and cancel the order, then notify the Better Business Bureau, and newspapers.

Glad my irritation about yet another bill, led me to sleuth it out. (And here I thought it was a really creative way to pay for those tax rebates.)

Thanks for your help in getting word out about this scam!

Cheers,

Kathy

 Acorn Inn, Inc European-style Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center P.O. Box 431 Nellysford, VA 22958