GMA Hails Passage of 'Landmark' Food Safety Bill

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) expressed its satisfaction that the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act has cleared Congress, following the passage of the legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This landmark legislation provides FDA with the resources and authorities the agency needs to help strengthen our nation’s food safety system by making prevention the focus of our food safety strategies,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of Washington-based GMA.

“Over the past two days, the Senate and the House have each come together in bipartisan fashion to do the right thing: strengthen and modernize America’s food safety system and help restore the public’s faith in the safety and security of the food supply,” added Bailey, who singled out Sens. Burr, Durbin, Enzi, Harkin and Gregg and Reps. Barton, Dingell and Waxman “for their unwavering commitment to seeing this through.”

Vowing continued partnership with Congress, the Obama administration and FDA on the issue of food safety, Bailey urged the president to sign the bill into law as soon as possible.

On Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 10 a.m. a telebriefing of consumer experts from the trade group and the Pew Charitable Trust will discuss the legislation and what its passage means for the United States, as well as reviewing the circuitous path by which the bill earned congressional approval. Besides Bailey, participants will be Rebecca W. Rimel, president and CEO at the Pew Charitable Trusts; Erik D. Olson, director of the Pew Health Group’s food programs, the Pew Charitable Trusts; and Scott Faber, GMA’s VP, federal affairs.