Consumer group praises Obama proposal to streamline fed’s role in food safety – National Consumers League

February 3, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy group is praising President Obama’s new proposal for the creation of a new federal agency solely focused on food safety in his Fiscal Year 2016 Budget. The announcement comes on the heels of similar legislation proposed by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) last week called The Safe Food Act of 2015.  Both seek to consolidate parts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration, ultimately streamlining inspections and eliminating unnecessary overlap. 

“Our current food systems are redundant and fragmented,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League.  “Consolidating USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service and FDA’s food safety oversight will ensure cohesive practices and superior response times in the event of an outbreak, ultimately keeping consumers and our food supply safer.  We urge Congress to support the creation of a new food safety agency.”

###

About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.