Senators release bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act focused on prevention
By Agri-Pulse Staff
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Washington, Aug. 12 – Calling for “a systematic, risk-based and balanced approach to food safety in the United States,” a bipartisan group of senators announced new food safety legislation Thursday.
The bill is based on “negotiating in good faith” by Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY), authors of The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) and lead cosponsors Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Burr (R-NC). The bill is supported by dozens of industry and consumer organizations including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Consumer Federation of America, the Grocery Manufacturers of America, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Restaurant Association and the Trust for America’s Health.
In a joint statement, the senators explained that “Any 100-year-old plus structure – like our nation’s food safety system – needs improvements. With this announcement today, we aim to not just patch and mend our fragmented food safety system, we hope to reinforce the infrastructure, close the gaps and create a systematic, risk-based and balanced approach to food safety in the United States.”
The senators added that “The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act will place more emphasis on prevention of food borne illness and will provide new tools to respond to food safety problems.” They said they “look forward to working with our respective leaderships to take up this bipartisan legislation as soon as possible.”
To read the full manager’s package of the new Food Safety bill, go to: www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/WHI10337.pdf
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