Funding For New Food-Safety Initiatives Still In The Budget

Budget watch: Despite concerns that budget wrangling in Washington would lead to cuts in food-safety programs, it appears that most funding for the Food Safety Modernization Act signed into law in January is secure. The Senate Appropriations summary says the funding level for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration takes into account the government’s distinct responsibility "to protect public health and safety, especially in the areas of food, drugs, medical devices and biologics." It states that the proposed funding level will allow the agency to begin implementing the Act, which aims to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to contamination to preventing it.

But the story is in the details and until debate ends, it’s unclear exactly how some dollars will be funneled.  There are roughly $38 billion in cuts in the long-term resolution funding the government through September.

The submitted budget actually cuts food safety and inspection very slightly, funding it at $1 billion, or $10 million below the fiscal year 2010 level. But nearly all of those cuts appear to be to water protections, with a significant cut to the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.