If your business was subject to an unannounced, warrantless inspection, would you rather it be state or federal officials knocking on your door?
That very question is being raised in Virginia for about 400 farms that produce more than $25,000 in annual income from fresh fruits and vegetables. Those farms are subject to the rules…
To his potatoes, Jon Tester has added some meat. The junior senator from Montana chose to share his thoughts on most of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s current meat and poultry agenda in a letter released on the eve of the announcement that the under secretary for food safety is leaving. 
Sen. Tester in 2010…
All domestic and foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for human or animal consumption in the U.S. must register with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Registering any time between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 will keep food companies in compliance with…
Russell Libby and Brian Snyder walked out of the Rayburn House Office Building on a brilliant spring day in April 2009 shaking their heads.
The two were on Capitol Hill representing the interests of small farms as Congress drafted legislation to revamp the food safety system. Congressional staffers had just informed the pair that, in …
With foodborne illnesses affecting 48 million people per year, causing almost 3,000 deaths and costing approximately $9 billion in health care costs, you can bet that, as the CEO of a food service company with 400 cafés in 31 states, I worry about the safety of our food supply.
That’s why I supported the Landmark…
With the food safety bill’s passage in the House Wednesday, it appears that small farm and producer exemptions, which were added in the Senate, will be a part of the final bill. While, local, sustainable agriculture advocates praised the inclusion of the language, known as the Tester-Hagan amendment, the biggest players in the produce…
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) emphasized her support for small farmers Monday at the 75th annual convention of the North Carolina Farm Bureau in Greensboro, NC.
“Whether it’s our large commodity producers or our small, local producers, it is a credit to all of our farmers’ hard work and diligence that agriculture remains such …
The Senate is expected to begin a series of votes on the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, S.510, this evening, a critical move forward for a bill that would be the most sweeping change in food safety laws in over seven decades. The legislation aims to increase inspection frequency, require food facilities to have food…
I know people get worked up over legislation–health care being a recent example–but the blather coming from the Tea Party types about food safety is a bit over the top, even for them. Here are my favorite Tweets of the week about the Senate struggle to vote on safe food:
“You know what’s next after …
The Senate today approved a cloture motion for the long-awaited FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, or S. 510. The cloture vote, which eliminates the threat of filibuster by limiting debate, is a key step forward for the beleaguered bill.
Late last night staffers worked to iron out language and try to broker deals on the …
