The United Fresh Produce Association has backed the House Energy and Commerce Committee over changes that it has made to the new Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, which went through its markup in subcommittee last week.
US-based United Fresh said that from discussions surrounding the legislation, it has been made clear that both Democrats and Republicans have worked together to improvements to the bill since the original draft.
Group president Tom Stenzel said that the association had worked closely with members from both parties to develop concepts aimed at maximising public health and rebuilding consumer confidence in the food safety system.
'While our association was pleased that a number of produce industry priorities were included in the original draft of H.R 2749, there were still many problem areas in that draft,' said Mr Stenzel. 'Since that time, we have worked closely with Committee members on both sides of the aisle, as well as Congressional leaders outside of the Committee, and are pleased with a number of significant improvements in the bill.'
In particular, he highlighted changes made in areas such as strengthening the bill's commodity specific approach to produce, ensuring the FDA worked with the USDA and state departments, and assuring equal treatment of imported and domestic produce in food safety standards.
Mr Stenzel noted: 'These are significant improvements in the bill, and we appreciate the support from both sides of the aisle in making these changes to ensure that the bill reported today would continue to advance these concepts on a bipartisan basis.
'We will continue to work with the Committee and other House leaders to fine-tune improvements as this bill moves to the House floor,' he added. 'We'll also continue to work closely with Senate leaders as they take up their own food safety bill later this year, in order to eventually pass sound, scientific food safety legislation that will be signed by president Obama.
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