Managers' statement: Food safety provisions in federal marketing orders

Here is an interesting wrinkle in the farm bill conference report. Despite an earlier desire by the USDA to get explicit authorizing language, the food safety provision for marketing orders is deemed unnecessary by the farm bill conference: Read on:

(10) Implementation of food safety programs under marketing orders The House bill amends section 8c of the Agricultural Adjustment Act by authorizing the implementation of quality-related food safety programs under specialty crop marketing orders. (Section 10106)
The Senate amendment contains no comparable provision.
The Conference substitute deletes the House provision.
The Managers are aware that the Secretary has issued marketing orders which include quality-related provisions intended to enhance the safety of the commodities to which they are applicable. Therefore, the managers recognize that statutory language is unnecessary. It is not the Manager's intention to alter the Secretary's authority to incorporate practices to improve the safety of commodities in marketing orders, but rather, to encourage the development of programs of quality-related good agricultural, manufacturing and handling practices with full industry and public participation and in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration.