Food safety legislation - is it doable this year?

Some lobbyists on Capitol Hill think time is already slipping away for any substantial FDA reform packages to gain any traction. Yet the discussion is heating up. Here is an April 18 press release from the GMA panning one proposal:

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today issued the following statement from GMA Senior Vice President and Chief Science & Regulatory Affairs Officer Bob Brackett regarding release by House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman John D. Dingell of a Discussion Draft of the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2008. The Draft builds on proposals by Chairman Dingell and Representatives Pallone, Stupak and DeGette.

“Food safety is the number one priority for the food and beverage industry and we are committed to working with Congress to pass common-sense, realistic, effective reforms to our nation’s food safety system within this year,” said Brackett. “That said, the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2008 as drafted for discussion creates unnecessary regulatory burdens, over-broad enforcement power, and would likely result in a further increase in food prices.

“The user fees proposed in the draft are unfair food taxes imposed on food manufacturers that will only work to arbitrarily increase the cost of food for consumers at the worst time possible – when thousands of Americans are already struggling to hold on to their homes and pay their already skyrocketing grocery bills. New rigid, regulatory provisions in the draft will stifle industry innovation, and broad new enforcement powers are unnecessary, burdensome and will be untenably costly for the FDA. We are supportive of reforms that will truly result in safer foods for our consumers, but think there are better, more efficient and effective ways to accomplish this goal than those outlined in this draft bill.

“It is critical that realistic, effective legislation be passed within this year that results in a true partnership between Congress, the food industry and federal agencies working in tandem to improve, modernize and strengthen our nation’s food safety system,” concluded Brackett. “GMA and its member companies are committed to achieving this goal.”