Putnam - Costa

If there is a bill that most closely represents the preferences of the industry in potential food safety legislation, this bill may be the ticket. Here is the release describing the Putnam Costa bill, introduced today, followed by some reaction from the GMA:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) today introduced legislation to modernize America’s food safety network. The Safe Food Enforcement, Assessment, Standards and Targeting Act, “Safe FEAST Act,” would establish new food safety requirements for domestically produced and imported food to identify and prevent potential sources of food-borne illness. For the first time, the measure grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statutory power to recall contaminated food in the case of adulteration.

Costa a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Putnam, Chairman of the Republican Conference said they expect the bipartisan measure to earn support among consumers and industry groups.

“The last time our food safety laws had major reforms, President Eisenhower was in office. Much has changed since then; American consumers deserve to have confidence in their food supply and American farmers and processors are doing everything possible to produce the safest food in the world,” said Costa.

“This is a bill to ensure the highest level of food safety for our nation’s food supply,” said Putnam. “Cases of food-borne illness present a health risk to consumers and risk consumer confidence in our food supply. The need for this legislation is clear.” Nearly 25,000 cases of food-borne illness were reported in the United States during 2006, he noted

“What is lacking,” said Costa, “is to have a system that ensures best management practices to strengthen the relationship between federal and state agencies to better prevent and control food safety threats at all levels of food production. I believe these are realistic and achievable steps, and will make the American consumer's food supply safer, which is the goal of this legislation.”

To ensure that food products coming into the United States from international sources are safe, imported goods would have to adhere to the same safety and quality standards as set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Foreign Suppliers Quality Assurance Program would verify that all imported goods meet FDA safety requirements and requires food importers to complete a foreign supplier food safety plan, documenting the food safety measures and controls for FDA review.

The bill includes a Mandatory Food Risk Assessment and Preventative Controls Plan that requires all domestic and foreign food companies selling food in U.S. to conduct a food safety risk analysis that identifies potential sources of contamination, outlines appropriate food safety controls, and requires verification that the food safety controls implemented are adequate to address the risks of food-borne contamination.

It establishes new standards for fruits and vegetables, including updating Good Agricultural Practices Guidance for safe production and issuance of regulation on safety standards, when risk and science demonstrate standards are needed. Increases coordination between, federal, state and foreign governments to ensure that standards and allows for variances to meet local growing conditions.

Finally, the Safe FEAST Act would grant FDA authority to access food safety production records during emergencies and deny importation of goods if strict food safety standards are not met and directs the agency to adopt a risk-based approach to inspections, giving greater scrutiny to facilities posing greater risk.

TK: This is most of what the FDA is looking for, from what I can see. Also, expect favorable industry reaction to this proposed legislation; the GMA has already issued this statement:

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today issued the following statement from GMA President and CEO Cal Dooley regarding Congressman Jim Costa’s (D-CA) and Congressman Adam H. Putnam’s (R-FL) bipartisan Safe FEAST Act of 2008 proposal to improve, modernize and strengthen our nation’s food safety system.

“Steadily increasing food imports and changing consumer preferences pose new challenges for our nation's food safety net,” said Dooley. “The bill proposed today by Reps. Costa and Putnam will place significant new mandates on the food industry, including new produce safety standards.

“The food industry is already making significant investments to ensure the safety of food, and welcomes a stronger and more effective government oversight role, as proposed by Congressmen Costa and Putnam. Under this proposal, industry will continue to invest in food safety, and the federal government will serve as our partner, looking over our shoulder to make sure we do things right. Increasing the strength of the public-private food safety partnership is the best way to improve our nation’s food safety net and bolster consumer confidence in the safety and security of the food supply. We look forward to working with Congress to craft food safety legislation that can be passed into law this year.”