Sludge Watch ==> IOWA: Sen Harkin introduces Fresh Produce Safety Act

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

In Yuma Arizona, organic leafy greens are growing in the hot sun.
In the next field, California sewage sludge has been trucked in.  The 
sludged fields are coated with flies just a few meters from the tiny heads 
of spinach and lettuce destined to be bagged for high end organic stores.

Flies move easily from one field to the next.
There oughta be a law...
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IOWA Sen. Harkin introduces Fresh Produce Safety Act
04.oct.07
Grainnet.com

www.grainnet.com/articles/Iowa_Sen__Harkin_Introduces_Fresh_Produce_Safety_Act_-49102.html


A year ago, there was a large-scale outbreak of food-borne illness caused by 
a virulent strain of E. coli in fresh bagged spinach.
More than 200 people became ill, and three died.

Since then, U.S. consumers have been bombarded with news of repeated cases 
of contaminated food ” everything from peanut butter to seafood to pet 
food.

Just this week, there was a recall of a Dole bagged salad product because of 
E. coli contamination.
It seems these fresh-produce recalls have become the rule rather than the 
exception in the United States •” and that is unacceptable.
It is increasingly clear that the Food and Drug Administration lacks the 
resources "” and the reach "” to ensure the safety of the U.S. food 
supply.
For example, it was reported last week that operations that grow and process 
leafy green produce are inspected by FDA once in every three years, on 
average.
We need to restore the public's confidence in American fresh produce and the 
agency that regulates it.
To that end, today, I will introduce the Fresh Produce Safety Act of 2007.
My aim is to create, for the first time, an effective national food safety 
framework for all fresh produce.
Industry groups are acutely aware of the need to restore consumer 
confidence.
For instance, the California leafy green produce industry has come up with a 
marketing agreement to certify the safety of its products.
The Florida tomato industry has pushed the state to inspect and regulate its 
products. But this regional, patchwork approach is simply not adequate.
We need a national program to ensure the safety of all fresh produce all 
across the country.
Under the Fresh Produce Safety Act, FDA would have the authority to require 
produce companies to follow common-sense food safety guidelines.
Those guidelines currently are only voluntary. Now, obviously, it would be a 
waste of resources to require the same stringent controls for, say, apples 
that we would require for leafy green produce.
That's why my bill requires FDA to establish national standards tailored to 
specific types of produce and the particular risk factors arising from the 
way each is grown and handled.
The legislation also requires stepped-up inspections of operations that grow 
and process fresh produce, such as spinach or lettuce.
Other key provisions of the bill include a surveillance system to identify 
and stop the sources of fresh produce contamination, and a research program 
to better understand and prevent contamination of produce.
My legislation would also require FDA to write rules to ensure that imported 
produce has been grown and processed under the same standards that we will 
have in the U.S.
The Fresh Produce Safety Act is timely for another reason.
Eating fruits and vegetables promotes lower body weight, stronger bones, and 
lower risk of developing diet-related diseases such as diabetes.
In recent years, major efforts and investments have encouraged people to eat 
these healthful foods.
It can only turn people away from healthy eating to have continuous 
instances of E. coli contamination and fresh produce recalls.
The American people need to have confidence that their fruits and vegetables 
are produced and handled in a safe and wholesome manner.
That is exactly the goal of the Fresh Produce Safety Act.