Top industry leaders meet with government officials on outbreak reforms
Top industry leaders meet with government officials on outbreak reforms
WASHINGTON -- With the produce industry still recovering from the summer-long Salmonella outbreak, top leaders of the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association sat down with federal food-safety officials to come up with a plan to improve the outbreak response and communication system.
Both groups requested a meeting with top administration officials in the midst of the Salmonella saintpaul outbreak after the produce industry became increasingly frustrated with the handling of the investigation. More than 1,400 people became ill in the Salmonella outbreak that spread to 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
The outbreak and the federal government changing its health advisory from tomatoes to Mexican-grown Jalape?o and Serrano peppers cost the industry millions of dollars.
Once the outbreak was over, the groups sought to reach out to food-safety officials and come up with changes to prevent the drawn-out investigation and other missteps from happening again.
"It was a very good start," said Bryan Silbermann, president of the Produce Marketing Association, who attended the meeting with United Fresh President Tom Stenzel, PMA Chairman Dave Corsi and United Fresh Chairman Tom Lovelace. Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Food & Drug Administration sat down with the two associations at the Oct. 30 meeting.
"Overall, the tone was very positive and very open," Mr. Silbermann said. "The agency wants to understand the industry and improve communication. They want to use industry expertise more efficiently."
Both chairman sent a Nov. 12 note to their respective members outlining the following subjects covered in the meeting: tapping industry expertise more effectively before, during and after an investigation; improving risk communication; developing better crisis-management plans with all stakeholders; understanding the interaction between federal, state and local health authorities; and evaluating lessons after an outbreak."
But both leaders acknowledged that there would be no quick fixes.
"Moving forward, we are determined to involve the foremost experts in our industry to engage with government so we can improve the way in which future outbreaks are handled," Messrs. Corsi and Lovelace said in a statement. "There is much to do, and we realize that this meeting was just the first step in a road that is long and that must be traveled by us all."
Both groups requested a meeting with top administration officials in the midst of the Salmonella saintpaul outbreak after the produce industry became increasingly frustrated with the handling of the investigation. More than 1,400 people became ill in the Salmonella outbreak that spread to 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
The outbreak and the federal government changing its health advisory from tomatoes to Mexican-grown Jalape?o and Serrano peppers cost the industry millions of dollars.
Once the outbreak was over, the groups sought to reach out to food-safety officials and come up with changes to prevent the drawn-out investigation and other missteps from happening again.
"It was a very good start," said Bryan Silbermann, president of the Produce Marketing Association, who attended the meeting with United Fresh President Tom Stenzel, PMA Chairman Dave Corsi and United Fresh Chairman Tom Lovelace. Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Food & Drug Administration sat down with the two associations at the Oct. 30 meeting.
"Overall, the tone was very positive and very open," Mr. Silbermann said. "The agency wants to understand the industry and improve communication. They want to use industry expertise more efficiently."
Both chairman sent a Nov. 12 note to their respective members outlining the following subjects covered in the meeting: tapping industry expertise more effectively before, during and after an investigation; improving risk communication; developing better crisis-management plans with all stakeholders; understanding the interaction between federal, state and local health authorities; and evaluating lessons after an outbreak."
But both leaders acknowledged that there would be no quick fixes.
"Moving forward, we are determined to involve the foremost experts in our industry to engage with government so we can improve the way in which future outbreaks are handled," Messrs. Corsi and Lovelace said in a statement. "There is much to do, and we realize that this meeting was just the first step in a road that is long and that must be traveled by us all."
