Food Safety Bill Languishes In D.C.

The clock is ticking, mid-term elections are nearing, and it doesn’t look likely that the federal food safety bill that’s been gathering dust in the Senate is going to go anywhere soon.

Despite broad bipartisan support, S.510 Food Safety Modernization Act remains deadlocked. Legislators say that the measure might not be perfect but it is a key step forward in reforming a dilapidated federal food safety system. Insisting the bill does not address systemic concerns, one senator has stymied attempts to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. Supporters say the bill might not be a cure-all for food safety concerns, but increases the authority and resources of the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risks and costs of foodborne disease.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced his own version of new food safety legislation: a one-page bill which demands better communication and cooperation between the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With a cloture vote possible, tweaking the bill continues, including an updated amendment which lessens the impact of the food safety bill on small producers and food facilities.