The new Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak said the U.S. needs to modernize its food safety system before it tackles the issue of whether responsibility for protecting what Americans eat should be reorganized from the current system, where multiple agencies are sometimes not communicating with one another or, worse yet, working at cross purposes.
"A modernized system would have as a goal prevention, early detection if it can't be prevented, and mitigation of any adverse impacts if something occurs," Mr. Vilsak said in a conference call with reporters.
"I think before there can be any conversation about merging of entities or a single agency or anything of that sort, you've got to get the foundation right."
The new secretary pointed to the case of individuals in over 40 states being sickened by salmonella-tainted peanut butter as an issue where Agriculture might not have a direct regulatory role but where communication is still critical between agencies.
"While there is nothing connected directly with USDA, it's not a product that we necessarily regulate, it is a product that could potentially get into some of the systems that we are responsible for, the school lunch programs and nutrition programs. So we want to make sure that everybody is aware of the concerns about peanut butter and are taking the steps necessary to guard against it."
Recently a group of 10 organizations, including the American Frozen Food Institute, Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, International Bottled Water Association, International Dairy Foods Association, National Fisheries Institute, National Restaurant Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Snack Food Association and the United Fresh Produce Association, sent a letter to Congress asking for changes to the food safety system. This included giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to establish standards for fruits and vegetables and increased power when it comes to food recalls. It also urged Congress to require foreign supplier safety plans and to improve its ability to inspect products overseas.
Discussion Question: What steps must the federal government and those involved in the agricultural, manufacturing/processing, retailing and foodservice industries take to create the strongest possible safeguards for the nation's food supply?