The following is a statement from Sandra Eskin, project director for the Pew Health Group's Food Safety Campaign:
“Congress' decision to increase appropriations for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by $39 million provides an important down payment toward the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which was enacted in January. This law, adopted with strong bipartisan support, will strengthen how the federal government oversees the safety of 80 percent of the food supply.
“This critical funding measure will shift the agency from primarily reacting to foodborne contamination incidents to preventing these dangerous outbreaks. The additional resources will also help FDA increase oversight of imported food and establish first-ever produce safety standards designed to avoid problems like the recent illnesses linked to Listeria in cantaloupes.”