2009 Annual Meeting Report - Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee

Food Regulation & Nutrition Committee

NASDA 2009 Annual Meeting

Montgomery, Alabama

 Summary of Committee Action:

 Update/Dialogue with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Food Safety Issues

Mike Taylor, special assistant to the FDA Administrator, spoke to the group via conference call. He discussed the House bill that has passed, HR 2749, and several of its key provisions. He also discussed the Reportable Food Registry (RFR) that FDA has launched. It is a new electronic portal designed to head off potential cases of foodborne illness. The portal is part of new federal reporting legislation that takes effect earlier this month (September 8, 2009).

 The reporting requirement states that facilities that manufacture, process or hold food for consumption in the United States now must tell the FDA within 24 hours if they find reasonable probability that an article of food will cause severe health problems or death to a person or an animal. The portal allows food industry officials to alert the FDA quickly if they suspect an item is contaminated.

 The reporting requirement applies to all foods and animal feed regulated by the FDA, except infant formula and dietary supplements, which are covered by other regulatory requirements.

 Mr. Taylor also discussed the Integrated Food Safety System that FDA has worked on since the last 50 States Meeting the agency hosted. This system recognizes that any system to safeguard the food supply in the US requires an integrated approach including federal, state and local government agencies.

 Richard Barnes, FDA Director for State-Federal Relations, introduced Joe Riordan who has taken the position as assistant director for State-Federal Relations. Mr. Barnes then briefed the Committee on the establishment of a fully integrated National Food Safety System with strengthened inspection, laboratory and response capacity.

 Current Food Safety Legislation & AFDO update

Several food safety incidents with significant consequences have occurred over the past few years. These have brought Congressional attention to the issue. Several bills have been introduced during the 111^th Congress. Two bills, one in each chamber, have become the vehicles for comprehensive changes in the food safety system in the US. The bills are HR 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act, and S 510, the FDA Globalization Act of 2009. NASDA Staff & AFDO representatives Oscar Garrison discussed the similarities in these bills were discussed, noting that methods to deal with many of the issues take different approaches.

 Update on Implementation of New Interstate Meat Shipment Program

USDA released the Interstate Meat Proposed Rule on September 16, 2009. It tracks very closely with the provisions of the Farm Bill establishing the program. The Deputy Secretary has offered to host a discussion with the NASDA Members and key staff during the comment period. The proposal seems to track closely with the Farm Bill enabling language – there are several issues of concern to states that were shared with USDA prior to the development of the rule; however, those issues do not appear to be addressed in the proposal. NASDA Member States will meet to discuss key issues of critical importance to provide comments to USDA.

 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act – USDA Priorities

Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, USDA and Mary Jane Whitney, Office of the Associate Administrator, Special Nutrition Programs, Food & Nutrition Services/USDA addressed the committee via conference call.  Under Secretary Concannon discussed the significant increase in SNAP participants within the past year, half of whom are children. He mentioned the efforts to make the WIC package a healthier food program by including more fruits and vegetables. In addition, he emphasized the Department’s interest and commitment to the WIC Farmers’ Market Program highlighting their efforts to expand the wireless electronic benefits transfer (EBT) capacity at Farmers’ Markets.

 Commissioner Troxler raised the SNAP + idea and the effort to help get more of the proteins into the program. Mr. Concannon indicated that the WIC program is prescribed and is reducing the amount of milk fats in the WIC program as cited in the Institute of Medicine recommendations.

 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program & other Food Assistance Programs – A Role for State Agriculture Departments?

Robert Tse, Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, California Department of Food and Agriculture discussed his state’s experience in taking over the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. He mentioned that usually the Department’s regulatory programs illicit criticism from one source or another but that the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition program brings in many positive accolades. It was suggested that by taking a greater role in these kinds of nutrition programs it helps create a positive relationship between urban populations and the farming community. Committee members discussed their experiences with the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs and how popular it is. One state commented however that the administration of these programs can be costly and more than the administrative fee that states can take to administer the program. It was suggested that perhaps the Specialty Block Grants dollars could be used to provide states with additional support. The NASDA staff was asked to do a survey of states to determine how many participate in at least some of these kinds of programs. 

 Identify Priority Issues for 2009 and Develop 6-monthWorkplan

NASDA will: (1) continue its efforts to ensure congressional food safety initiatives reflect NASDA interests and recommendations; (2) continue to monitor implementation of the Title V interstate meat program.

 Consideration of Policy Amendments and Action Items

 There were no policy amendments or action items.