Transcript FSIS AND FDA FOOD SAFETY PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED …

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
Current framework of the U.S. food safety &
protection system –
15 federal agencies collectively administer more than 30 laws related to
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……….
FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND
OPERATED DIFFERENTLY
DOMESTIC PROGRAMS
FSIS
FDA
• Establishes safe food requirements;
• Establishes safe food requirements;
• Directly employs 9400 staff, 8000 of
whom are in approx. 6300 U.S.
plants;
• Cooperates with 400 state agencies to
conduct intermittent inspections of
food establishments;
• Assesses safety of processing plants
and approves such plants for
operation;
• Conducts unannounced inspections of
food establishments (avg. one per five
yrs.);
• Inspectors on-site to inspect during
plant operation;
• Responds to specific complaints of
food borne illness;
• Responds to specific complaints of
food borne illness.
FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND
OPERATED DIFFERENTLY
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
FSIS
FDA
• Safe food requirements the same for
imported products as U.S. production;
•
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;
•
Cargo manifests are evaluated by DHS
to determine if product detention is
warranted;
• Foreign processing plants exporting to
the U.S. are inspected routinely and
approved/disapproved for export;
•
Based on DHS evaluation cargo is either
detained for inspection by FDA or
released;
• Entry-point inspections are conducted
on imports; if inspection is passed,
product is allowed entry into the U.S.;
•
Random inspection of cargo may be
undertaken by FDA;
•
Responds to specific complaints of
• Responds to specific complaints of food
borne illness.
food borne illness.
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