Discussion Group considers the future of produce safety oversight

The Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group continues to add members, now topping 130. The numerical growth is gratifying, but more than that the group is gaining steam as an ongoing forum for important industry topics. Here is a recent thread about the future of produce safety oversight:


Valerie of the group asked if the FDA isn't distracted by the demands of their mission to oversee drugs and pharmaceuticals:

Valerie: I don't think they have enough resources to focus on alternative medications / dietary supplements as well as food because they really never needed to. Just my thoughts.


Pamela: Kind of like the department of homeland security being in charge of FEMA?
Little too much going on for one agency?


Manuel: I totally agree. When FDA went to Florida to present their work plan to the tomato growers, their focus was entirely from a research point of view. Whenever their were asked to bring their proposals down to a field operations level, they were completely lost. The have no experience in that field.
I am running a project in Mexico now, and called FDA to see if we could develop a pre-clearance program just like USDA has in many countries. As you might know, there have been rumors of FDA developing programs like such in the past. Long story short, no one even knew who to ask, or even if or when they might be able to start discussing the possibility of implementing a pre-clearance program.
USDA might not be a perfect agency (risking an understatement) but at least they do their job and the industry has a solid relationship with it.

In a later post, Steve writes:

Neither the FDA or the USDA have the manpower, energy or mandate to accomplish the job that needs to be done. Both organizations spend more time in bureaucratic bungalese than in actual plants doing the important work. Witness the recent recall of 5.3 million pounds of beef from Nebraska Beef for E. Coli; do we want the USDA doing these inspections? They have the same solutions the FDA has, if there is an issue, recall it all because comprehensive testing is not done and there are no traceback procedures in place.
Both organizations need to be essentially disbanded and reorganized into one inspection organization with responsibility for meat, produce, food processing and imports. There are plants that have USDA inspectors for one area, an FDA person with responsibility (during maybe two visits a year) for another area, maybe a state inspector a few times a year and customer mandated (due to no faith in government inspections) private inspections to try and make up for all the holes during their two or three visits a year.
No microbial testing, sporadic inspections, no traceback... sounds like the system works exactly as it was designed to; poorly.


Luis, a long time contributor to the board, concludes:

The single agency is the approach of the Safe Food Act introduced by Energy and Commerce. Calls for a single agency have been going on for decades and face both internal opposition from agencies and committees defending turf as well as external opposition by some industry groups. Change is very difficult. Disbandment and re-organization is not very likely, bar some catastrophe. The most one could expect is perhaps a bit of a re-organization, a bit more funding, a few more mandates (traceability etc.) and initiatives, lots of we are making progress publicity but nothing so substantial it breaks the inertia (ie. the delicate balance). May be something good could come out of all this.
Too much reading of US regulatory system failures, excess and decadence has me a bit pessimistic this 4th of July but plan to go out to watch the fireworks this evening a be reminded why this country unlike no other one on earth.
Cheers!


TK: You will come to appreciate the insights of individual members of the FPIDG and value the forum they provide. Join today and add to the discussion.....