Be it resolved
"The fruit and vegetable industry advisory committee strongly recommends the USDA facilitate and advocate the development and adoption of unified food safety standards for the f/v industry that reflect the risks associated with individual commodities and the entire supply chain."
After a lengthy discussion, the industry advisory adopted the above recommendation this morning. While it did not contain the word "mandatory," the sense of the committee is that it is implied.
An interesting wrinkle this morning was when Bob Keeney of AMS queried the industry on whether Secretary Johanns could play a role in perhaps publishing an advance notice of rulemaking regarding a national marketing agreement for leafy greens. There was no immediate action on that point by the committee, however.
Coming up..discussion of farm bill and COOL.
Labels: Bob Keeney, COOL, Farm Bill, FDA, Fruit and vegetable industry advisory committee, Mike Johanns
posted by Tom Karst @ 8:25 AM
2 Comments:
Who will be the lead or umbrella agency in any unified food safety program is a point to watch. The underfunded, understaffed but highly educated FDA or the USDA? At this point the EPA seems to be a crippled agency. I anticipate some turf war here and administrative positioning that can very well pull F & V's (and funds)from the FDA's control. Barring, of course, the establishment of an freestanding independent commission with the USDA, FDA, EPA (possibly others)and stakeholders on the board.
As I recall AMS regulates COOL for fresh fish in wholesale markets through some anomaly in the regs. AMS inspectors in the fish markets? Usually the area the FDA and Dept of Commerce handles. Politics, as the saying goes, makes for strange bedfellows. Hopefully not swimming with the fishes in NYC's Fulton Fish Market.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home