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Food Safety Outlook…. FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION. THE CURRENT FRAMEWORK OF THE U.S. FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION SYSTEM OTHER GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS WITH INTEREST AND THEIR POSITIONS LEGISLATION AND OTHER INITIATIVES. FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION.
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FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION • THE CURRENT FRAMEWORK OF THE U.S. FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION SYSTEM • OTHER GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS WITH INTEREST AND THEIR POSITIONS • LEGISLATION AND OTHER INITIATIVES
FOOD SAFETY & PROTECTION • The USDA/Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) & the HHS/Food & Drug Administration (FDA) are the two major agencies • FSIS – meat, poultry and processed egg products • FDA – all other foods except those covered by other agencies • Centers for Disease Control – monitoring, investigating, foodborne disease to determine causes and controls; • National Marine Fisheries Service – inspection & grading for marketing and quality of domestic and imported seafood; • Dept. of Homeland Security – border inspection; preparedness for and response to major disease outbreak or other disaster affecting agricultural infrastructure; • Others………. Current framework of the U.S. food safety & protection system – 15 federal agencies collectively administer more than 30 laws related to food safety & protection -
FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND OPERATED DIFFERENTLY FSIS Establishes safe food requirements; Directly employs 9400 staff, 8000 of whom are in approx. 6300 U.S. plants; Assesses safety of processing plants and approves such plants for operation; Inspectors on-site to inspect during plant operation; Responds to specific complaints of food borne illness. FDA Establishes safe food requirements; Cooperates with 400 state agencies to conduct intermittent inspections of food establishments; Conducts unannounced inspections of food establishments (avg. one per five yrs.); Responds to specific complaints of food borne illness; DOMESTIC PROGRAMS
FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND OPERATED DIFFERENTLY FSIS Safe food requirements the same for imported products as U.S. production; Determine if exporting country’s food safety system is equivalent to U.S. system; if so it’s approved for export; Foreign processing plants exporting to the U.S. are inspected routinely and approved/disapproved for export; Entry-point inspections are conducted on imports; if inspection is passed, product is allowed entry into the U.S.; Responds to specific complaints of food borne illness. FDA Safe food requirements the same for imported products as U.S. production; Cargo manifests are evaluated by DHS to determine if product detention is warranted; Based on DHS evaluation cargo is either detained for inspection by FDA or released; Random inspection of cargo may be undertaken by FDA; Responds to specific complaints of food borne illness. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
U.S. Food Imports Source: AFBF estimates from USDA data
Share of U.S. Consumption from Imports Source: USDA/ERS
Who’s involved Grocery Manufacturers Association “Four Pillars” document for import safety – September 2007 Coalition of retailers, manufacturers, processors, distributors, producer groups – October 2007 AFBF participates Drafting legislation – want Congress to act this year
Who’s involved Producer and Agribusiness Group AFBF organized Fall 2007 Livestock – pork, sheep, milk, turkey, chicken, eggs, processors (AMI and NMA) Fruits and Veggies – Western Growers, United Fresh, US Apple Others – oilseed processors, rice, millers, pet food, animal health, feed and grain groups Draft legislative proposal, to use if necessary
Congressional Interest U.S. Senate • Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee – Chairman Kennedy (MA) • Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee – Chairman Harkin (IA) • Leadership – Majority Whip Durbin (IL) • U.S. House of Representatives • Energy and Commerce Committee – Chairman Waxman (CA) • Health Subcommittee – Chairman Pallone (NJ) • Oversight Subcommittee – Chairman Stupak (MI) • Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee – Chairwoman DeLauro (CT)
What’s Happening 30 bills introduced last Congress: • HR 3610, Food and Drug Import Safety Act (Dingell) • FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (Durbin) • Consumer legislation (Pallone, DeLauro) • FDA Food Protection Plan (Senate HELP Committee) • HR 1148/S 654, Safe Food Act - single food safety agency
Hill reaction to . . . • Recalls • FY2010 Budget/Appropriations
AFBF Actions Letters to Hill/Administration H.R. 3610, Single Food Safety Agency, Funding Coalition Efforts GMA and Ag Highlight food safety & protection issue at membership meetings
LEAFY GREENS MARKETING AGREEMENT • Voluntary marketing agreement (MA) • California and Arizona already have agreements in place • Industry requests MA, USDA oversees process with public input