Food Safety Issues for the 112th Congress (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 9, 2012 |
| Report Number |
R41629 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The 111th Congress passed comprehensive food safety legislation in December 2010 (FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), P.L. 111-353). Although numerous agencies share responsibility for regulating food safety, this newly enacted legislation focuses on foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and amends FDAâs existing structure and authorities, in particular the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA; 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.). Among its many provisions, the new law expands FDAâs authority to conduct a mandatory recall of contaminated food products, enhances surveillance systems for foodborne illness outbreaks, establishes preventative controls at some food processing facilities and farms, enhances FDAâs traceability capacity within the nationâs food distribution channels, increases the number of FDA inspections at domestic and foreign food facilities, and expands FDAâs authority and oversight of foreign companies that supply food imports to the United States. The 112th Congress may provide oversight over how the law is implemented, including FDAâs coordination with other federal agencies, such as those in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Implementation of the law will depend largely on the availability of discretionary appropriations, and some have questioned whether additional funding is available in the current budgetary climate. [...] Some in Congress also may continue to push for additional policy reforms either to existing FDA or USDA food safety laws to address other perceived concerns regarding the safety of the U.S. food supply, including resources and regulatory tools to adequately combat foodborne illness, as well as coordination and organization among federal agencies.
