The egg recall and salmonella outbreak caused by two Iowa egg producers has resulted in strong consumer pressure to act on food safety. The egg recall began on August 13, 2010 and "involves more than half a billion eggs ... from Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. About 1,500 reported cases of Salmonella enteritidis have been linked to tainted eggs since the spring." Recently, the criminal division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Justice Department joined the investigation of the Iowa egg operations. For more information on the egg recall and criminal investigation, click here and here to read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog posts on the subject.
The food safety bill has been languishing in the Senate for some time due to disagreements over amendments and certain provisions. The House passed its own food safety legislation in July of 2009. Reid hopes for the Senate to take up food safety legislation when Congress returns from its summer recess in mid-September.
US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, stated, "We must pass the food safety legislation currently before Congress that will help FDA prevent outbreaks like this one in the future."
"The House and Senate food safety bills would give the FDA power to order recalls, increase the frequency of plant inspections at the riskiest plants, give FDA more access to food facility records, and expand its traceback capabilities in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak."
To read the Reuters story, click here.
Posted: 09/07/2010
