97+10+02 FOOD SAFETY MEMO [HLTH] (fwd)

[Laura Larsson]

Friends:

The Food Safety Memo, for your information.

Regards,

Laura
larsson at u.washington.edu
listowner: PHNUTR-L, PNWHEALTH, HSR-L +

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 1997 09:06:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: healthplan at igc.apc.org
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Subject: 97+10+02 FOOD SAFETY MEMO [HLTH]

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                              THE WHITE HOUSE
                       Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                    October 2, 1997

October 2, 1997

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
   THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

SUBJECT:  Initiative to Ensure the Safety of Imported
          and Domestic Fruits and Vegetables

American consumers today enjoy the safest food supply in the world, and
I am proud of my Administration's record in this area.  We have taken
significant steps to ensure that we maintain the safest food possible.
We have put in place improved safety standards for meat, poultry, and
seafood products, and we have begun the process of developing enhanced
safety standards for fruit and vegetable juices.  We have also expanded
research, education, and surveillance activities through coordinated
efforts of all agencies involved in food safety issues.  Together,
these measures will greatly improve the safety of the Nation's food
supply.

We need to build on these efforts, and today I ask you to do so by
focusing on the safety of fruits and vegetables.  Although the produce
Americans eat is very safe, we can and must do even better, especially
at a time when Americans are eating more fruits and vegetables from all
over the world.  Last year, 38 percent of the fruit and 12 percent of
the vegetables consumed by Americans came from overseas.  We must
ensure that fruits and vegetables coming from abroad are as safe as
those produced in the United States, especially as we upgrade our own
domestic standards.

To help accomplish this task, I plan to send to the Congress proposed
legislation that will require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to
halt imports of fruits, vegetables, or other food from any foreign
country whose food safety systems and standards are not on par with
those of the United States.  This legislation, which will be similar
to existing law requiring the USDA to halt the importation of meat
and poultry from such countries, will enable the FDA to prevent the
importation of potentially unsafe foreign produce.  My Fiscal Year 1999
budget will provide the necessary funds to enable the FDA to expand
dramatically its international food inspection force.  With this
greatly increased ability to inspect food safety conditions abroad and
at points of entry, the FDA will be able to determine when to halt the
importation of fruits and vegetables from foreign countries.

Today, I hereby direct two administrative actions that will better
ensure the safety of fruits and vegetables coming from abroad, while
continuing to improve the safety of domestic produce.

First, I direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
partnership with the Secretary of Agriculture and in close cooperation
with the agricultural community, to issue within 1 year from the date
of this memorandum, guidance on good agricultural practices and good
manufacturing practices for fruits and vegetables.  This guidance
should address ways to prevent potential sources of contamination,
should take into account differences in both crops and regions, and
should address food safety issues throughout the food production and
distribution system.  By providing the first-ever specific safety
standards for fruits and vegetables, the guidance will improve the
agricultural and manufacturing practices of all those seeking to sell
produce in the U.S. market.  To ensure that this guidance has the
widest possible effect, I also direct the development of coordinated
outreach and educational activities.

Second, I direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Secretary of Agriculture, to report back to me within 90 days from the
date of this memorandum with a status report and complete schedule for
the good agricultural and manufacturing practices, and a plan on how
to improve the monitoring of agricultural and manufacturing practices
abroad, to assist foreign countries to improve those practices where
necessary, and to prevent the importation of unsafe produce, including
by detecting unsafe food at the dock or border.  I especially urge you
to consider the best ways to target inspection and testing toward those
areas where problems are most likely to occur.

In addition to taking these actions, you should accelerate whatever
food safety research is necessary to support them.  You should also
call upon the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor,
and other agencies as necessary to provide you with assistance in
achieving this goal.  These steps, taken together and in coordination
with the proposed legislation I will send to the Congress, will improve
the safety of fruits and vegetables for all Americans.

      WILLIAM J. CLINTON

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