WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Federal Centers for Disease Control has estimated that tens of millions of Americans are sickened and thousands die from foodborne illnesses each year. And in the wake of E.coli, and salmonella outbreaks, the Senate Tuesday passed legislation to make food safer. The legislation could potentially give the government broad new powers to increase inspections of food processing facilities and force companies to recall tainted food. It would also place stricter standards on imported foods. The $1.4 billion bill, passed the Senate 73 to 25. Supporters say passage is critical after widespread outbreaks in peanuts, eggs and producer. Those outbreaks have exposed a lack of resources and authority at the Food and Drug Administration as the embattled agency struggled to contain and trace the contaminated products.The agency rarely inspects many food facilities and farms, visiting some every decade or so and others not at all.
The bill would emphasize prevention so the agency could try to stop outbreaks before they begin. Farmers and food processors would have to tell the FDA how they are working to keep their food safe at different stages of production.
Despite wide bipartisan support and backing from many major food companies, the legislation stalled as it came under fire from advocates of buying locally produced food and operators of small farms, who said it could bankrupt some small businesses. Senators eventually agreed to exempt some of those operations from costly food safety plans required of bigger companies, rankling food safety advocates and larger growers but gaining support from farm-state senators.
The Senate legislation would:
1. Allow the FDA to order a recall of tainted foods. Currently the agency can only negotiate with businesses to order voluntary recalls.
2. Require larger food processors and manufacturers to register with the FDA and create detailed food safety plans.
3. Require the FDA to create new produce safety regulations for producers of the highest-risk fruits and vegetables.
4. Establish stricter standards for the safety of imported food.
5. Increase inspections of domestic and foreign food facilities, directing the most resources to those operations with the highest risk profiles.
The bill would not apply to meat, poultry or processed eggs, which are regulated by the Agriculture Department. Those foods have long been subject to much more rigorous inspections and oversight than FDA regulated foods.
