Food Safety

HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, is an attempt to address food safety from the farm to the national and international market. It addresses domestic food production as well as imported food into the United States.

In DC, the House Agriculture Committee has held 4 hearings on food safety this year. Witnesses at the July 16 hearing included farmers, ranchers, consumer group representatives, and government officials from USDA and FDA. In addition to these witnesses, Jeff Almer from Perham, Minnesota was recognized to speak about his mother who was a victim of the Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter in 2008.

"Ensuring a safe food supply is a top priority for the House Agriculture Committee, and we want to play a role in developing strong food safety policies that are practical and address the problems in the system," Chairman Peterson said.

"None of the producer witnesses at the hearing today would support the Food Safety Enhancement Act as it is written," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA). "It is clear that members of the committee and our witnesses are concerned about the new authority the bill gives FDA to regulate on the farm production practices. The notion that FDA can dictate to farmers in every region of the country, growing and producing a vast array of crops and livestock for a range of markets, is irrational."

While some parts of the legislation are supported by National Grange policy, an amendment is needed to clarify that farms, farmers markets, and restaurants are not "facilities" and should not be subject to a $1,000 fee or periodic inspections by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Without this clarification, the vague and over inclusive wording of this bill could prompt lawsuits in future years that expand the scope of the bill to include farms, farmers markets, and restaurants. Instead the bill should make clear that any food safety or public health inspections for farms, farmers markets, and restaurants are only to be conducted by local/state health departments and state departments of agriculture.

The North Carolina State Grange supports National Grange policy and has contacted North Carolina delegation about this issue.