Ag Groups Voice Thoughts on S. 510

"As organizations representing a broad spectrum of U.S. agricultural production, marketing, commodity storage, manufacturing, processing and export sectors, we are committed to providing safe, abundant and affordable food and feed for U.S. and world consumers." This was the statement sent by 26 national agricultural organizations including the American Sheep Industry Association to the members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

As the Senate begins consideration of comprehensive food and feed safety legislation, the agricultural and agribusiness associations offered their collective thoughts on S. 510, the Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety Modernization Act, as well as refinements believed to improve the bill. In this correspondence, the groups also alerted the committee to several objectionable provisions in the House-passed bill (H.R. 2749) and strongly oppose their inclusion in legislation being considered by the Senate.

"As Congress considers legislation to further enhance U.S. food and feed safety laws, our organizations prefer the science- and risk-based approach generally taken in S. 510," stated the signators. Several of the organizations formally endorsed S. 510, while others believe the science- and risk-based principles it embodies provide a solid basis on which to build a more prevention-based approach to food and feed safety.