Government food safety oversight endorsed
Government food safety oversight endorsed
PALM SPRINGS, CA -- There is no doubt that improved food safety measures are being used by most companies since the spinach crisis of last September. The big question, however, relates to whether there should there be a mandatory, government-regulated component to the food safety issue.
This theme surfaced time and time again at the FreshTech conference, held here April 25-28. The United Fresh Produce Association, which hosted the FreshTech event and the accompanying Produce Safety Summit, has gone on record supporting a mandatory, federal program, and United President Tom Stenzel reiterated that position in Palm Springs.
Mr. Stenzel supports the concept of federal government oversight largely because he sees it as a foregone conclusion. "We need to shape our future, not respond to it," he said.
Speaking during one of the Produce Safety Summit general sessions, Mr. Stenzel said that action at the federal level is likely since food safety is a very hot topic in Washington, DC. He believes the best approach is to accept that some regulations will be written and attempt to influence that debate.
The United executive surmised that a mandatory food safety program might emerge that sees the FDA enact regulations that are then enforced by state regulators. He said that FDA clearly has the legal authority to regulate the fresh produce industry, as it has enacted similar regulations for other food sectors in the past, including the seafood industry. FDA has a number of tools at its disposal that it can use to push through mandatory regulations.
Former United staffer Donna Garren, who is now with the National Restaurant Association, also endorsed federal oversight. She believes that if a federal agency does have responsibility for produce safety, the industry will have a friend when there is an outbreak.
"No one protected you in that outbreak situation," she said, speaking of the spinach crisis.
Comparing the spinach crisis to similar recall efforts in the meat industry, Ms. Garren said that meat packers don't have to defend themselves because USDA has taken on the responsibility of ensuring the safety of meat. When an outbreak occurs, USDA attempts to identify and isolate the problem and then alleviate the fears of the consumer. She said no one protected produce suppliers during the spinach crisis. "No regulatory agency was supporting you."
During one of the FreshTech seminars, Charles Sweat, president of Natural Selection Foods, relayed his experiences testifying in Washington, DC, at one food safety hearing or another.
Though he didn't state whether he favored or opposed federal regulations, he clearly believes that mandatory regulations are heading the industry's way. He said there is strong sentiment in the nation's capital that this is the way to go.
This theme surfaced time and time again at the FreshTech conference, held here April 25-28. The United Fresh Produce Association, which hosted the FreshTech event and the accompanying Produce Safety Summit, has gone on record supporting a mandatory, federal program, and United President Tom Stenzel reiterated that position in Palm Springs.
Mr. Stenzel supports the concept of federal government oversight largely because he sees it as a foregone conclusion. "We need to shape our future, not respond to it," he said.
Speaking during one of the Produce Safety Summit general sessions, Mr. Stenzel said that action at the federal level is likely since food safety is a very hot topic in Washington, DC. He believes the best approach is to accept that some regulations will be written and attempt to influence that debate.
The United executive surmised that a mandatory food safety program might emerge that sees the FDA enact regulations that are then enforced by state regulators. He said that FDA clearly has the legal authority to regulate the fresh produce industry, as it has enacted similar regulations for other food sectors in the past, including the seafood industry. FDA has a number of tools at its disposal that it can use to push through mandatory regulations.
Former United staffer Donna Garren, who is now with the National Restaurant Association, also endorsed federal oversight. She believes that if a federal agency does have responsibility for produce safety, the industry will have a friend when there is an outbreak.
"No one protected you in that outbreak situation," she said, speaking of the spinach crisis.
Comparing the spinach crisis to similar recall efforts in the meat industry, Ms. Garren said that meat packers don't have to defend themselves because USDA has taken on the responsibility of ensuring the safety of meat. When an outbreak occurs, USDA attempts to identify and isolate the problem and then alleviate the fears of the consumer. She said no one protected produce suppliers during the spinach crisis. "No regulatory agency was supporting you."
During one of the FreshTech seminars, Charles Sweat, president of Natural Selection Foods, relayed his experiences testifying in Washington, DC, at one food safety hearing or another.
Though he didn't state whether he favored or opposed federal regulations, he clearly believes that mandatory regulations are heading the industry's way. He said there is strong sentiment in the nation's capital that this is the way to go.
