Industry welcomes Food Safety Bill

Quality will improve under the Food safety Bill, says industry

Industry groups have welcomed the passage of the Food Safety Bill, highlighting lobbying efforts and Congressional support that kept potential burdens out of the amended legislation.

“After a three-week procedural roller coaster ride, the Food Safety bill has cleared Congress and is now before the president. Enactment of the bill is an important win for NPA and the industry,” said John Gay, executive director and chief executive officer of the Natural Products Association.

“Provisions that would hurt natural products retailers and suppliers were modified or removed from the bill, and measures supported by the industry were included. This legislation demonstrates the impact of the strong grassroots voice of NPA members and others in the industry.”

Steve Mister, the president and chief executive officer of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), praised sections of Congress for shaping the final Bill.

“CRN commends Congress for today passing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FSMA was a demonstration of a thoughtful and bi-partisan approach to crafting meaningful and necessary legislation,” he said.

“Congress has now ensured that FDA will have the additional tools needed to help protect the public health in the area of food safety. We congratulate members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee for their tireless work over the last four years to pass meaningful food safety legislation.”

He added: “FSMA requires biennial registration of all food manufacturing facilities, provides FDA with new authority to mandate food recalls, requires companies to develop food safety plans, enhances public health and safety by adopting a risk-based approach to inspection, and will improve the safety of imported food and food ingredients. In addition, it will help consumers have confidence in the nutritional products they purchase and use every day. We are pleased to see this legislation pass Congress and look forward to the President signing it into law.”

Gay singled out Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), “for their leadership and support of the industry.”

“We also appreciate the long, hard work of a number of senators, including Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.).”

3 comments

Consumer Groups Oppose this Monstrosity

Posted by Scott Tips, 06 January 2011 - 23:13 GMT

The National Health Federation strongly opposed passage of S.510 because: (1) it is absolutely unconstitutional; (2) it will not remedy the “food safety” problem it is ostensibly intended to address; (3) we cannot afford it financially; and (4) it expands the arbitrary power and authority of the FDA in particular and the Federal government in general. It is a recipe for disaster that will make our food supply less safe, not safer. Moreover, it will lead to the eventual extinction of the big Agribusinesses’ competition – the small- and medium-sized farms; but then this is part of the plan as well made by these huge corporations and their bought-and-paid-for buddies on Capitol Hill who pass coercive laws limiting our free choices so that, in the end, we will only be able to buy the trash food sold by Agribusiness. (The Tester-Hagan amendment only offers partial protection.) We are seeking through our lobbyist and many members to overturn this bill in the 112th Congress.

Scott Tips
President, NATIONAL HEALTH FEDERATION
www.thenhf.com

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But Consumer Groups Do Not

Posted by James J. Gormley, 24 December 2010 - 05:14 GMT

Dear Nutraingredients-usa.com,
While some industry groups are hailing this bill's passage (although it is not yet signed into law), there are some really bad provisions in this legislation, including the targeting of farm stands and food co-ops and an extreme overreliance on an algorithm-based approach (HCCP) to food safety.
We are asking President Obama to veto this bill.
James J. Gormley,
Citizens for Health
http://www.citizens.org/

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What provisions detrimental to the industry were removed

Posted by Christopher E. Grell, 24 December 2010 - 00:44 GMT

In the article, you make the point that many provisions of the bill, that would be harmful to the dietary supplement industry, were removed as a result of the industry's efforts.
Do you have, or do you know where you could find a list of provisions that were removed as a result of industry's efforts?

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