Food Safety Outlook

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Food Safety Outlook
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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

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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.

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FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND OPERATED DIFFERENTLY
DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

• 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

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FSIS AND FDA STRUCTURED AND OPERATED DIFFERENTLY
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

• FSIS
• Safe food requirements the same for imported
  products as U.S. production
• Determine if exporting countrys food safety
  system is equivalent to U.S. system if so its
  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.

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U.S. Food Imports
Source AFBF estimates from USDA data
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Share of U.S. Consumption from Imports
Source USDA/ERS
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Whos 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

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Whos 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

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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)

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Whats 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

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Hill reaction to . . .

• Recalls
• FY2010 Budget/Appropriations

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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

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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