Tom Harkin: “today, I am introducing the Safe and Fair Enforcement and Recall for Meat, Poultry, and Food--SAFER--Act. This…”

“today, I am introducing the Safe and Fair Enforcement and Recall for Meat, Poultry, and Food--SAFER--Act. This legislation will protect consumers from contaminated meat and poultry by giving the Department of Agriculture, USDA, and the Department of Health and Human Service's Food and Drug Administration, FDA, greater authority to remove unsafe products from the market. If enacted, the bill would give USDA and FDA the following three key tools in keeping food safe for consumers: authority to mandate that a company recall unsafe meat, poultry, and food products if a company fails to voluntarily recall unsafe or unwholesome food; require companies to notify USDA or FDA if they know a product is adulterated or misbranded; and authority to USDA and FDA to levy civil penalties if a company violates federal meat, poultry, or food laws. USDA and FDA are lacking fundamental authorities to maintain a safe and secure food supply. This legislation would change that. Foodborne illness continues to be a far too common problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, estimate that each year 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths can be attributed to foodborne diseases. USDA's Economic Research Service estimates that the cost of foodborne illness is $6.9 billion a year in medical costs, productivity losses, and premature deaths.…”