Bill Clinton: “Good morning. This Independence Day at backyard barbecues and picnics in local parks, Americans celebrate the spirit of…”

“Good morning. This Independence Day at backyard barbecues and picnics in local parks, Americans celebrate the spirit of patriotism that has strengthened our Nation for 223 years now. Today I want to talk about what we must do to ensure that the food we serve at those gatherings is as safe as we can possibly make it, to keep our Nation growing healthy as well as strong. Our food supply is the most bountiful in the world, and for 6\1/2\ years, our administration has been committed to making it the safest in the world, from establishing a nationwide early warning system for foodborne illness to expanding food safety research and public education programs to increasing inspections of food at every point in the chain of production. Last year I established the Joint Institute for Food Safety Research and appointed the first-ever President's Council on Food Safety to coordinate and expand food safety efforts at every level of the Federal Government. I'm proud of the progress we're making, but when it comes to keeping our families safe, we can always do more, and we must. Today, Americans eat more imported food than ever before, and they have more choices than ever. Think of it: Thirty years ago, just a dozen kinds of fruits and vegetables were available year-round. Today, you could buy a different kind of fruit or vegetable every day of the year, and many were grown on the other side of the world.…”