FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION PASSES THE HOUSE
News Date August 04, 2009
Last week, the House of Representatives passed sweeping food safety legislation, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2749). On Wednesday, the bill failed its first test in the full House as it failed to reach the two-thirds majority required under expedited suspension of the rules procedures (Roll no. 657). However, after further negotiations between leaders from the Energy and Commerce and Agriculture Committees, the legislation eventually passed on Thursday afternoon (Roll no. 679).
Leading up to the debate and subsequent final vote on the House floor, NASDA weighed in against passage of the bill. Even though critical improvements for the agricultural industry were made through the negotiations, such as additional exemptions for farmers, which will still be regulated by USDA, the legislation did not include issues important to the states. Specifically, the legislation lacked an integrated federal, state and local food safety system and a mechanism to assure capacity building grants to state and local agencies. (Contact: Bob Ehart)