The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SAFE FOOD ACTION PLAN ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E85 on Feb. 3, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SAFE FOOD ACTION PLAN ACT
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HON. DEBBIE STABENOW
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, February 3, 1998
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the Safe Food Action Plan Act, a bill that will set a national priority for food safety by focusing on prevention and rapid response. The Safe Food Action Plan has been built upon the four pillars of research, consumer education, technology transfer programs, and a federal Rapid Response Team.
I am proud of our Nation's reputation for providing its citizens with the safest food supply in the world. The high standard set by our country is the product of the combined efforts of our agricultural community, researchers and scientists, processors, consumer educators, the business community, state and local governments, and federal regulators. The Safe Food Action Plan recognizes that it is only through this kind of teamwork, from farm to table, that we can continue to guarantee families the food they feed their children is safe.
I am pleased to introduce a bill that represents not only the direction I think this country needs, to guarantee the safety of its food, but the plan the experts believe should be pursued. While drafting the Safe Food Action Plan, I enlisted the help of the food safety community and created the Food Safety Advisory Committee. Membership of the Advisory Committee included scientists and researchers, educators, producers, processors, public health officials, and technology companies. I am especially grateful to the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center at Michigan State University, and its director, Dr. Robert Hollingworth, for hosting the Advisory Committee meetings.
One change identified by the Advisory Committee as being critical for food safety, is the ability for the Secretary of Agriculture to promote multi-disciplinary and integrated research. The science of food safety is a complex pursuit and research institutions need to work together to solve life-threatening problems. The Safe Food Action Plan encourages this type of integrated research at USDA.
The Safe Food Action Plan redirects existing resources at the Department of Agriculture to focus on initiatives that focus on food safety. I was surprised to discover that food safety is not already listed as a priority for such programs as the Fund for Rural America, nor is it listed as a priority for research and consumer education programs funded through Research, Education, and Extension. The Safe Food Action Plan closes the gaps and makes food safety an important component of these programs.
Technology is an important weapon in the war against pathogens. The Safe Food Action Plan amends the Cooperative Research and Development program at USDA (CRADA) to include food safety technology as a priority. In the CRADA program, USDA conducts high risk research that might not be undertaken by private industry but which is needed for the public good. Once the technology is developed, the USDA enters into partnerships with business to bring the ground-breaking research to the market. A wonderful example of cutting-edge food safety technology is the rapid E. coli test developed by the Neogen company, located in my district in Lansing, Michigan. By highlighting food safety as a priority, the Safe Food Action Plan guarantees that the latest and best technology will be available for our nation in defense of public health.
While most of the Safe Food Action Plan focuses on prevention, we all understand that food emergencies may still happen and the government must be prepared. The Safe Food Action Plan creates a federal Rapid Response Team that will be ready to strike when public health is in danger. Rather than adding a layer of bureaucracy, the Safe Food Action Plan focuses existing resources within the federal government toward the combined efforts of the Rapid Response Team. Using the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a model, the Safe Food Action Plan instructs the Secretary of Agriculture to integrate his emergency response plan with the efforts of other agencies in developing the Food Safety Rapid Response Team.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to make a technical clarification. After submitting a very similar bill last week, I discovered that the name of my bill was almost identical to one introduced last year by my colleague, Vic Fazio. Out of courtesy to my colleague and to avoid confusion regarding our bills I am reintroducing my bill with its official short title today. In future debates and deliberations, please refer to my bill by its new title, the Safe Food Action Plan.
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