At the same time the Obama Administration is working to curb the influence of narrow special interests, American catfish producers are busy telling fish tales to Congress to get their competition regulated out of existence. They've dreamt up a faux food safety scare and they're shopping it to any reporter or regulator who will listen. It's a piece of fiction that's fat with anecdotal exaggerations and thin on facts. But this isn't the first time the anti-competition catfish lobby has stooped to these types of tactics.
Yesterday the Center for Science in the Public Interest released its distorted list of what it calls the "riskiest" foods. More than a few observers questioned why, for instance, CSPI insisted on claiming tuna was the third most risky food to eat when by its own calculations eight other foods on the list caused more illnesses.
The following fall under the category of, did you know?
Did you know that the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is headed up by a lawyer? Did you know that by trade she's a lobbyist not a scientist?
Did you also know that until she was exposed in a front page story as a lawyer/lobbyist and not a scientist she was being considered by the Obama administration to run the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service?
Later this morning the scaremongers at the Center for Science in the Public Interest will be holding a news conference detailing what it says are the "top 10 riskiest foods" the FDA needs to pay closer attention to. It's important for reporters to note that by focusing on FDA the report excludes beef, chicken and some egg products, which means that the vast majority of proteins eaten by Americans aren't even considered.
Bipartisan effort promotes Food Safety Modernization Act
March 3, 2009 Washington –A review of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) finds a bipartisan endeavor that appears committed to progressive thinking on food safety matters.
“The bill updates and improves earlier food safety efforts without unnecessary restrictions and wasteful redundancies,” said NFI President John Connelly.
A coalition of legislators led by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bill today as part of an effort to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with
respect to the safety of the food supply.
“Forward thinking has recognized that as a country we can’t just inspect our way to perfect food safety and we can’t simply legislate our way there either,” said Connelly. “This bill recognizes the hard work the FDA has done and continues to do and the need to provide incentives for members of the seafood community who are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the food we all enjoy today.”
Food safety advocates believe the cornerstone of a successful food safety program is a strong FDA.
“A bill like this one highlights the need for enhanced support of the FDA,” according to Connelly. “We would like to see funding for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition reach $725 million by 2010. Those funds could be used to hire more personnel and update some of the Center’s technology.”
NFI supports FDA development of a preventative approach that stops problems at their source, rather than at U.S. borders
For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com.
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Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
Dollars Finally Beginning to Match Determination
June 10, 2008 Washington, DC – The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs an additional $275 million to fund new initiatives including $125 million for food safety — and the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) agrees.
“This request illustrates how serious the FDA is about ensuring the continued safety of the American food supply,” said NFI President John Connelly. “Efforts to increase food safety have, in the past, left the hard working men and women of the FDA underfunded, but this request begins to change that.”
The new funding would allow FDA to move forward with plans to improve import safety by expanding its reach beyond American borders, setting up shop in other parts of the world where inspectors will work to monitor foreign compliance with U.S. standards.
“Modernizing its infrastructure and expanding its reach to ensure the continued safety of imported food is an important step in the evolution of the FDA,” said Connelly. “It is now up to a bipartisan effort on the Hill to make a real commitment to fully fund this effort.”
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Contact Information:
Gavin Gibbons
(703) 752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org
