Yup, this is the real solution. It's not easy, but it's the truth. So long as we allow supply chains to be centralized and verticalized, we introduce not just m

Yup, this is the real solution. It's not easy, but it's the truth. So long as we allow supply chains to be centralized and verticalized, we introduce not just more middleman links to allow for adulteration, but more incentives for the middlemen to do so. People seem to forget that the adulteration involved in lowering prices has second order effects that can very much be unknown. Just a century ago, custom cough syrup tonics containing cocaine and heroin were considered completely safe. Even beyond the adulterants we know to be harmful, how many others which are currently GRAS will in the future be looked at as tragedies? Hopefully, few. But if not... I think the solution to this problem is to increase supply chain locality, as you said. It would be great to have more solutions that directly connected buyers to local farms. Another option I've thought about is building infrastructure around making it possible for folks to run microfarms inside their own homes -- if this could be done in a convenient way, it would be the 100% ideal solution, but short of that, I think reforming the current system to be local farm -> consumer is still closer to 99% ideal.