FDA advisory commitee?

I think it might be time for the industry to petition the Food and Drug Administratoin for an advisory committee that provides industry advice to that agency. I'm sure there are many informal relationships already, with produce industry lobbyists and FDA regulators in close contact.

The USDA's fruit and vegetable advisory committee is useful because it address many issues important to the industry, including nutrition programs, block grants, PACA, inspection services, market news and more.

However, in the Jan. 23-24 advisory meeting, the topic de jour was food safety. FDA has jurisdiction over produce safety and not the USDA. While there is discussion of a federal marketing agreement or marketing order pertaining to produce safety, that concept seems ill-suited to the call for strong federal oversight of produce safety.

If the industry - the farm to table supply chain, no less - is looking at formalized FDA oversight to a degree not experience before, the FDA needs every chance to hear from fruit and vegetable growers, wholesalers and retailers as they create the new fabric of regulation.