Groups including the Grocery Manufacturers Association, US Chamber of Commerce, Food Marketing Institute and advocacy and nonprofit groups including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, The Consumer Federation of America, and the Pew Charitable Trusts support the bill.
The bill would "overhaul food safety laws for the first time in decades and would strengthen the Food and Drug Administration's enforcement powers. The House passed its version in July 2009." More specifically, FDA would have the power to order recalls, which it does not have currently. It would also increase the frequency of inspections and give FDA more access to facility records.
Food safety legislation has gained interest due to the egg recall and salmonella outbreak caused by two Iowa egg producers. The egg recall began on August 13, 2010 and involves more than half a billion eggs and about 1,500 reported cases of Salmonella enteritidis. For more information on the food safety bill or the egg recall, click here and here for past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog posts on the subject.
"Members of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), which represents the nation's grocery stores, were already scheduled to be in Washington to lobby for the bill prior to Reid's announcement that he would set the bill aside. Reid, D-Nev., blamed objections by Tom Coburn, R-Okla., for holding up efforts to reach an agreement to set ground rules for floor debate."
To read the CQ Politics story, click here.
Posted: 9/21/2010
