Food safety top priority in 2008
Food safety top priority in 2008
WASHINGTON -- Food safety will remain the top concern for produce industry trade groups in 2008, but they will be juggling other matters as Congress looks to capitalize on issues during an important election year.
"I see significant attention to food safety in 2008," said Robert Guenther, senor vice president of public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association. More than 75 legislative proposals were introduced on food safety in 2007, and Congress is looking at comprehensive reform of FDA's food safety authorities after scares involving pet food and seafood late last year.
Despite the renewed attention, it is unclear whether Congress will rewrite food-safety laws this year as lawmakers will be ready to hit the campaign trail this fall.
Government agencies have been responding to large beef recalls in recent months, and the safety of food imports remains a chief concern on Capitol Hill. But past problems linked to spinach are in the mix, said Mr. Guenther. Lawmakers always refer to fresh produce in statements about the need for food-safety reforms, he said. Rather than just produce industry representatives sitting at the table, there is a broader coalition of food groups -- and that is a good thing, he said.
Import food-safety proposals like one by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) that would limit the number of ports importers could use to ship foods into the United States are being watched closely, said Lorna Christie, senior vice president of industry products and services for the Produce Marketing Association.
On the front burner is the urgent need to wrap up the conference between House and Senate versions of the 2007 farm bill. Produce funding is in both bills, so "we're in good shape," said Mr. Guenther. There have been discussions about the two bills in recent weeks, but the funding package has kept the legislation under a presidential veto threat.
Getting an agreement reached on country-of-origin labeling passed and signed by President Bush is critical, said Ms. Christie. "We created a compromise that is much more industry-friendly" and which would cut down on expensive paperwork and allow state certification of products, she said. Mr. Guenther acknowledged that produce suppliers will be challenged this spring as they prepare packaging for retailers to meet the September COOL deadline, but they must wait for the much-preferred program to be the law of the land in the yet-to-be-approved farm bill.
Ms. Christie warned that Congress might latch on to a trend of legislating on sustainability and social responsibility issues, which have become hot buzzwords in Europe in recent months. Mandating carbon footprint controls, creating new environmental controls or favoring locally grown products could gain traction, she said. Green policies may not be mainstream issues in the United States, and they were not in the United Kingdom before they gained support, she said.
"Trade is always on the front burner," said Cathleen Enright, vice president of federal government affairs for Western Growers Association. She said that three more trade agreements are coming down the pike for congressional approval.
Without federal regulations on produce safety, Mr. Guenther predicted that foodservice and retailers would continue to demand more far-reaching standards in their buyer specifications. He said that the federal government needs to develop a floor or minimal safety standards for fruits and vegetables to deflect the growing trend.
Buyers that ask for food-safety assurances will continue, but these demands should be "doable and backed by the rigors of science," said Ms. Christie. Buyers and suppliers share the same goal to provide healthy produce, and there must be a partnership to achieve this, she said. PMA supports a federal mandate on produce safety if it is risk-based and commodity-based, she said, adding that the California and Arizona marketing agreements are one step in a multi-staged approach.
After WGA spearheaded the California and Arizona measures, Ms. Enright said that WGA is advocating a federal marketing order for leafy greens that includes handlers as well as growers.
On the nutrition side, produce trade associations are looking at how to influence the upcoming reauthorization of the Childhood Nutrition Act and will be monitoring how states use the new fresh fruit and vegetable vouchers under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children feeding program for low-income mothers and children.
Mr. Guenther said that United Fresh also will be watching the promised changes to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection's agricultural inspection program, which came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) threatened to move the program back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On Jan. 2, Customs named Kevin Harriger to the new post in the Agriculture Operational Oversight division. There are significant problems with agriculture inspections at the borders, and industry will be looking for a consistent policy applied across all the ports, he said.
A congressional fix to the lack of a stable foreign workforce for fresh produce businesses will be discussed this year, but it is unclear how far it will go. Ms. Enright said that the election and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) position on immigration will keep the issue before voters.
There is a bipartisan understanding that agriculture, construction and high- tech industries are facing a labor crisis, she said. "Hopefully there will be bipartisan support for resolving the issue for agriculture."
"I see significant attention to food safety in 2008," said Robert Guenther, senor vice president of public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association. More than 75 legislative proposals were introduced on food safety in 2007, and Congress is looking at comprehensive reform of FDA's food safety authorities after scares involving pet food and seafood late last year.
Despite the renewed attention, it is unclear whether Congress will rewrite food-safety laws this year as lawmakers will be ready to hit the campaign trail this fall.
Government agencies have been responding to large beef recalls in recent months, and the safety of food imports remains a chief concern on Capitol Hill. But past problems linked to spinach are in the mix, said Mr. Guenther. Lawmakers always refer to fresh produce in statements about the need for food-safety reforms, he said. Rather than just produce industry representatives sitting at the table, there is a broader coalition of food groups -- and that is a good thing, he said.
Import food-safety proposals like one by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) that would limit the number of ports importers could use to ship foods into the United States are being watched closely, said Lorna Christie, senior vice president of industry products and services for the Produce Marketing Association.
On the front burner is the urgent need to wrap up the conference between House and Senate versions of the 2007 farm bill. Produce funding is in both bills, so "we're in good shape," said Mr. Guenther. There have been discussions about the two bills in recent weeks, but the funding package has kept the legislation under a presidential veto threat.
Getting an agreement reached on country-of-origin labeling passed and signed by President Bush is critical, said Ms. Christie. "We created a compromise that is much more industry-friendly" and which would cut down on expensive paperwork and allow state certification of products, she said. Mr. Guenther acknowledged that produce suppliers will be challenged this spring as they prepare packaging for retailers to meet the September COOL deadline, but they must wait for the much-preferred program to be the law of the land in the yet-to-be-approved farm bill.
Ms. Christie warned that Congress might latch on to a trend of legislating on sustainability and social responsibility issues, which have become hot buzzwords in Europe in recent months. Mandating carbon footprint controls, creating new environmental controls or favoring locally grown products could gain traction, she said. Green policies may not be mainstream issues in the United States, and they were not in the United Kingdom before they gained support, she said.
"Trade is always on the front burner," said Cathleen Enright, vice president of federal government affairs for Western Growers Association. She said that three more trade agreements are coming down the pike for congressional approval.
Without federal regulations on produce safety, Mr. Guenther predicted that foodservice and retailers would continue to demand more far-reaching standards in their buyer specifications. He said that the federal government needs to develop a floor or minimal safety standards for fruits and vegetables to deflect the growing trend.
Buyers that ask for food-safety assurances will continue, but these demands should be "doable and backed by the rigors of science," said Ms. Christie. Buyers and suppliers share the same goal to provide healthy produce, and there must be a partnership to achieve this, she said. PMA supports a federal mandate on produce safety if it is risk-based and commodity-based, she said, adding that the California and Arizona marketing agreements are one step in a multi-staged approach.
After WGA spearheaded the California and Arizona measures, Ms. Enright said that WGA is advocating a federal marketing order for leafy greens that includes handlers as well as growers.
On the nutrition side, produce trade associations are looking at how to influence the upcoming reauthorization of the Childhood Nutrition Act and will be monitoring how states use the new fresh fruit and vegetable vouchers under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children feeding program for low-income mothers and children.
Mr. Guenther said that United Fresh also will be watching the promised changes to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection's agricultural inspection program, which came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) threatened to move the program back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On Jan. 2, Customs named Kevin Harriger to the new post in the Agriculture Operational Oversight division. There are significant problems with agriculture inspections at the borders, and industry will be looking for a consistent policy applied across all the ports, he said.
A congressional fix to the lack of a stable foreign workforce for fresh produce businesses will be discussed this year, but it is unclear how far it will go. Ms. Enright said that the election and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) position on immigration will keep the issue before voters.
There is a bipartisan understanding that agriculture, construction and high- tech industries are facing a labor crisis, she said. "Hopefully there will be bipartisan support for resolving the issue for agriculture."
