Legislation would strengthen Food and Drug Administration

November 30, 2010 Washington, DC After a year of wrangling Senators Richard Durbin and Richard Burrs bipartisan food safety legislation finally passed the U.S. Senate.

Durbin said the bill will, “Help ensure that the food on America’s tables is safe.”

Senators Durbin and Burr and the bipartisan group that drafted the Food Safety Modernization Act and brought it to a vote should be commended, said John Connelly, President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI.) NFIs board of directors had supported this bipartisan legislation.

Other Congressional priorities had forced food safety legislation to take a back seat but it resurfaced during the lame duck session.

This food safety legislation demonstrates Congress confidence in seafood HACCP, FDAs successful preventative controls concept. As Congress further strengthens FDA now is not the time to cannibalize the nations leading food safety agency by carving out some sectors of seafood for regulation by USDA,” said Connelly.

A 2008 Farm Bill provision seeks to carve out catfish from successful FDA oversight.

The House has already adopted similar legislation.

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.