As a national, non-profit organization, CFI works on behalf of the public to improve public health through the prevention foodborne illness. Therefore, CFI actively engages in advocacy activities that work towards achieving our mission. These activities range from increasing public awareness of food safety issues to advocating for stronger national food safety public policies aimed at improving food protections.
Currently, the United States has a fragmented patchwork of food safety laws and regulations that are rooted in the Food & Drug Act of 1906 and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. At the time, the “Acts” provided major reforms. However, since then, the way our food is grown, processed and sold has undergone tremendous change. Our food production system has shifted from family-run farms to large agricultural corporations, and our population has seen a three-fold increase from 85 million people in 1906 to 300 million people today. Coupled to this, the food market has become global and consumer expectations and behaviors with regard to food have changed drastically.
The United States needs new food safety legislation to build safety and accountability into its food production systems. To date, the 111th Congress has had 37 bills introduced that deal with food safety. Of these, there are four significant pieces of legislation:
- The Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749) was introduced in June 2009 by Representative John Dingell (D-MI) to amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to improve the safety of food in the global market, and for other purposes. This legislation passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously on June 17, 2009. This piece of legislation passed in the House in July 2009.
- The Food Safety Modernization Act (H.R. 875) was introduced in February 2009 by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to establish a Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to foodborne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes. This legislation sits in both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Agriculture Committee. To date, no action has been taken.
- The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) was introduced in March 2009 by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to amend the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act with respect to the safety of the food supply. In November 2009, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions unanimously approved S. 510, clearing way for the legislation to go to the floor of the Senate for vote. To date, S. 510 has not been voted on by the Senate. To write your Senators in support of S. 510, visit click here (http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/senate10).
- The Food Safety Rapid Response System (S. 1269) was introduced in June 2009 by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to provide for enhanced foodborne illness surveillance and food safety capacity, to establish regional food safety centers of excellence, and for other purposes. This legislation has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Kevin’s Law (Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction & Enforcement Act) has not been introduced in the 111th Congress. Instead, the spirit of Kevin’s Law has been incorporated into larger, more comprehensive pieces of food safety legislation. For more information on Kevin’s Law, click here.
Of the food safety legislation that has been introduced so far in the 111th Congress, CFI has publicly endorsed the Food Safety Modernization Act (H.R. 875), the Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749) and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510). These bills focus on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight of food and would require FDA to conduct more inspections at food processing facilities. The bills would also require food companies to identify food safety hazards and develop plans to reduce or eliminate foodborne pathogens throughout their processes. The bills also give FDA the authority to order companies to recall potentially contaminated food. In addition, the bills include the basic elements of Kevin’s Law. The major difference between these bills is that H.R. 875 calls for the establishment of a separate food administration within FDA, while H.R. 2749 and S. 510 call for reform within FDA’s current structure.
CFI encourages citizens to write letters of support for S. 510 to their Senators. CFI has joined with a coalition of public health organizations, consumer organizations, and groups representing the families of victims of foodborne illness to promote the Make Our Food Safe campaign. Tell Congress to pass stronger food protections NOW. To sign the Make Our Food Safe petition and/or send a letter to your representative, visit www.makeourfoodsafe.org.
To access information on the 37 bills that have been introduced the 111th Congress to deal with food safety, visit http://thomas.loc.gov. Under “Legislation in Current Congress” and “Search Bill Summary & Status”, search using the term “food safety.” An entire list of the food safety bills will then appear. Many of these bills contain sections about “performance standards” and reflect many of the points contained in Kevin’s Law.