Bill would combine FDA, USDA food safety functions into one, independent agency

Statement of CSPI food safety director Caroline Smith DeWaal

It's ineffective to have one cabinet secretary in charge of chicken, beef, and pepperoni pizza, and another cabinet secretary responsible for eggs, milk, and cheese pizza.

The Safe Food Act brings all foods under a single agency, with one leader and a modern approach to food safety. It ensures all food processors utilize systems to prevent contamination, and when problems occur, creates a uniform approach to ensuring food safety, including mandatory recall authority for meat and poultry products.

We're grateful for the continued leadership of Senator Richard Durbin and Representative Rosa DeLauro and hope to see bipartisan support for this common sense legislation.