GMA: on board with food safety working group

Straight from the overstuffed inbox:


The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) President and CEO Pam Bailey today sent a letter to President Barack Obama in support of the President’s proposal to create a food safety working group to coordinate federal food safety efforts.
“Americans enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world, but food and beverage companies recognize that steps must be taken to make our food supply even safer. Ensuring the safety of our products – and maintaining the confidence of consumers – is the single most important goal of the food and beverage industry. Product safety is the foundation of consumer trust, and our industry devotes enormous resources to ensure that our products are safe.
“Our industry strongly supports efforts to continually improve the safety of America’s food supplies and we urge the Administration to continue to make the prevention of contamination the foundation of our nation’s food safety strategies.”

Within the letter GMA offered the president six specific recommendations:

· Increase FDA food-related spending.
· Require Food Safety Plans.
· Require Foreign Supplier safety Plans and Build Foreign Capacity.
· Regulate Fruits and Vegetables.
· Adopt a Risk-Based Approach to Inspections.
· Authorize Mandatory Recalls.