The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced its support for a Bush administration proposal to increase US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) funding to strengthen the agency’s food-safety capabilities.
PMA voiced its support in response to health and human services secretary Michael Leavitt’s announcement on June 12, that the administration was seeking to amend the fiscal year 2009 budget for the FDA to add an additional $275 million (£138m). The money would be used to fund what the FDA has described as a “fundamental change in strategy currently underway”, to help the agency adapt to the demands of the rapidly growing and changing global economy.
On the food-safety front, PMA, its tomato industry members and other allies have been working together to try to help the FDA identify the source of a multi-state salmonella saintpaul foodborne illness outbreak linked to red round and Roma plum tomatoes. While the agency has been able to exclude many other types of tomatoes from concern, and has ruled out more than 30 states or countries as the source, some retailers and foodservice operators have nonetheless pulled all tomatoes from their shelves and menus. This has put at risk the livelihoods of members of the $2.2 billion industry.
PMA president Bryan Silbermann said: “Simply put, the FDA must have more resources, expertise and knowledge if it is to better fulfil its mission to protect public health in a way that also minimises the market side-effects.”
PMA and other groups including Alliance for Food and Farming and California Tomato Farmers, have also called on retail and foodservice buyers to put cleared tomatoes back on their shelves and menus.
Co-signers wrote: “FDA and CDC’s traceback investigations have now definitively ruled out round red and Roma plum tomatoes from most production areas, and all other types of tomatoes regardless of source...
“Getting tomatoes back in our retail stores and on the menus is the most important step we can all take to restore consumer confidence.”
FRESH CONNECTIONS MADE
PMA’s recent Fresh Connections events in Chile and Peru drew hundreds of industry representatives from throughout the supply chain eager to learn more about industry trends, opportunities for their export businesses, and the association’s international programming.
More than 200 delegates attended PMA’s Fresh Connections, with the Chile event held in Santiago on June 10 increasing registration numbers by 70 per cent from last year, while the Peru event in Lima on June 12 drew in 120 delegates.
The Fresh Connections: Chile conference saw Chilean industry members learn from industry leaders about trends and new business models for coping with changes facing the global produce industry. Speakers at the Peru seminar provided an overview of the current status of and future opportunities for the Peruvian export sector, as well as valuable information on trends and marketing information regarding sales to North America.
Nancy Tucker, PMA vice-president of global development, said: “The Fresh Connections events were highly successful and well attended... We are already discussing other ways to serve our membership in these areas and offer additional member benefits specific to this market segment in the future.”
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