After millions of meat and produce items were pulled off the shelves at grocery stores nationwide over listeria concerns, some lawmakers are pushing legislation that would create a new federal agency to oversee food safety.
The Federal Food Administration Act is co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and is led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro in the House and Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, of Illinois in the Senate.
It would establish the Federal Food Administration -- “a single agency responsible for ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply and promoting good nutrition,” according to a news release.
The agency would take over food responsibilities from agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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“There are 15 different federal agencies that are responsible for food safety,” Blumenthal said. “There is no central point of command when it comes to food safety and there needs to be. Not just because reaction and recall need to be quicker and more effective, but also because we need to do more in prevention. The food supply of America needs help, and it needs it from a new federal agency.”
The agency would ensure the nation’s food supply is uncontaminated, from the production at farms to the way items are shipped.
”We all need to eat, and we all need to have confidence that what we’re consuming is safe,” said Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani. “Fifty-percent of the infections we see in the state are often from deli counters, caterers, restaurants.”
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Last week, Aldi and Walmart took 16 produce products off of their shelves over listeria concerns, and Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meats.
Dozens of people got sick and two people died. No official cases of listeria have been reported in Connecticut.
“I think we see a lot more recalls these days, salmonella and this, and e coli with other things. I think it would good to have a group that specialized that wasn’t spread so thin on other things,” said Marla Kane, of West Hartford.
Shoppers think a centralized agency sounds like a good idea.
“I think that’d be wonderful, be sort of impartial one would hope and consumer would be the beneficiary,” said Gary McKenna, of West Hartford. “I think though that most of us are complacent and we trust that what we’re buying is good, and when it proves the opposite, then it’s very stressful.”
Blumenthal said if the legislation doesn’t pass this session in Congress, he and others will advocate for it next session.
