$1.4 billion food safety bill offers much more cash and energy to FDA

The food safety bill was approved by the U.S. Senate Tuesday following 16 months of partisan bickering. Outbreaks of salmonella and E. coli contamination have been increasing. The incidents have exposed the truth that the Food and Drug Administration lacked the resources to prevent contaminants. The food safety bill, which will demand $1.4 billion dollars to enforce, mandates increased examinations and centralized authority to enact recalls, among other things. Resource for this article – $1.4 billion food safety bill gives more money and power to FDA by Money Blog Newz.

Food safety bill astonishingly passes

The food safety bill that passed the Senate by a vote of 73-25 is one of the few items of legislation that Congress was expected to deal with in its lame-duck session at the end of the year. All food processing plants and farms with a high risk of contamination have to be inspected by the FDA each three years under the Food Safety Enhancement Act. Until now, the Food and Drug Administration, when it has conducted inspections at all, has done so about once a decade. The FDA can force recalls to take place in companies with the food safety bill. There could be no much more waiting for businesses to do it themselves. Imported foods, of which the Food and Drug Administration currently inspects about 1 percent, will also be subject to stricter standards.

Food safety tainted by national politics

There’s a lot of service for the food safety bill. Agribusiness and consumer advocate groups service it. In July 2009, the House approved it. Politics stopped the Senate from passing it for a year and a half. The food safety bill didn't pass last fall due to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. The Tea Party certainly didn't like it. They said the government was overreaching. Consumers are being forced to become vegetarians with inflated meat prices according to Glenn Beck. As the bill languished in the U.S. Senate, there were 85 recalls of FDA-regulated foods associated with 1,850 food-borne illnesses.

Food sector stands supporting bill

The food safety bill passed despite conflicts between agribusiness and small farms. All of the small farmers don't want huge standards. Major corporations have to deal with them. Agribusiness said no one ought to be exempt. After Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., added an amendment exempting small farmers, some large agricultural groups withdrew their support. Large corporations, even those with recalls, have said they’re glad to see that there can be clearer regulations with the food safety bill. The food industry needs it.

Details from

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/29/AR2010112906058.html

USA Today

usatoday.com/yourlife/food/safety/2010-11-29-foodsafety29_ST_N.htm

Des Moines Register

desmoinesregister.com/article/20101130/BUSINESS01/11300359/1001/NEWS/Food-safety-bill-snagged-by-money-