Silbermann's testimony

Lee Mannering of PMA passes on this testimony of Bryan Silbermann of PMA. Find it here. Above is a PMA shot of Bob Brackett of the FDA and Silbermann at Friday's meeting.
I've also called Amy Philpott at United and expect to have Tom Stenzel's testimony as well.

Silbermann sets up his testimony very well:

Consumer confidence in our products is as fragile as the tender leaves of the freshest salads. We never have and we never will take that confidence for granted. Doing so would be irresponsible to the public and harmful to our own livelihoods. We have a vested interest in doing what is right – every bite, every time.

TK: Above and beyond PMA's exceptional investment in the Center for Produce Safety, I see in Silbermann's remarks that PMA and United are very much on the same page in terms of federal oversight.

He says:

PMA believes that the initiative in California needs to be followed by a robust federal effort that is verifiable and applies to any products grown in the U.S. or abroad. We need that to promote public confidence and avoid a patchwork approach to an issue crying out for an umbrella solution. Under the umbrella we should have commodity-specific protocols based on sound science and prioritized by risk.


TK: This could have been lifted out of Stenzel's remarks, and that's a good thing that the industry is together on the issue of federal oversight.