Grocery Manufacturers Association Comments on Safety of Artificial Colors

Grocery Manufacturers Association Comments on Safety of Artificial Colors



(WASHINGTON, DC) In comments today before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Food Advisory Committee Meeting on certified color additives and hyperactivity in children, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) made the following statement:



“The safety of artificial colors has been affirmed through extensive review by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) (via the food additive review process) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and neither agency sees the need to change current policy. All of the major safety bodies globally have reviewed the available science and have determined that there is no demonstrable link between artificial food colors and hyperactivity among children. These expert evaluations were conducted by the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA); the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ); the United Kingdom Committee on Toxicity (of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment) (UK COT); the German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment (BfR); the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, and the Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety.”



“GMA is comprised of producers, packagers and others who produce and sell food, beverages, and other packaged consumer goods. Ensuring the safety of our products – and maintaining the confidence of consumers – is the single most important goal of our industry. Product safety is the foundation of consumer trust, and our industry devotes enormous resources to ensure that our products are safe. Our companies continuously review and monitor all emerging science and scientific studies and incorporate these as warranted into our manufacturing practices to help ensure that we are always producing the safest possible product for our consumers.”

Lucas & Peterson Praise House Passage of H.R. 872

Lucas & Peterson Praise House Passage of H.R. 872
WASHINGTON - Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma and Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota issued the following statements after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011 in a bipartisan vote, 292-130.
"I am proud to be a part of the bipartisan effort that led to the House passage of H.R. 872. The last thing the agricultural community needs is another government mandate. This bill eliminates a costly and duplicative permitting requirement that is the result of a court’s fundamental ignorance of Congressional intent. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to join our efforts so that we can get a bill to the President before more valuable resources are wasted," said Chairman Frank D. Lucas.
“We first began looking into ways to address this issue last fall and I am pleased that, on a bipartisan vote, the House has approved H.R. 872. The courts are not the place to decide agriculture policy and this bill makes clear that it was never the intent of Congress to burden producers with additional permit requirements that would have little to no environmental benefit. I urge the Senate to quickly follow suit and provide certainty to producers by passing this legislation,” said Ranking Member Collin Peterson.

U.S. House Votes for Farmers, Passes H.R. 872: Western Growers’ Tom Nassif Releases Statement

U.S. House Votes for Farmers, Passes H.R. 872
Western Growers’ Tom Nassif Releases Statement

IRVINE, Calif. (March 31, 2011) –Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011 in a bipartisan vote, 292-130.

“Today is a win for American farmers everywhere, especially our farmers in California and Arizona who grow most of the nation’s fresh produce. With the U.S. House’s passage of H.R. 872, there’s clear support for a regulatory environment that doesn’t strap farmers with unnecessary red tape. The bill is a practical, bipartisan example of eliminating government regulations that needlessly increase farm business costs. Farmers already must comply with federal pesticide label requirements, but the Environmental Protection Agency is now seeking to require farmers who apply pesticides near water to clear another regulatory hurdle—obtain expensive permits under the Clean Water Act. H.R. 872 puts an end to this redundant process for pesticide use. We look forward to the Senate’s approval of this common-sense approach to government regulations.”

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