WASHINGTON – Although statements from some food and allied industry companies and associations are praising the US House of Representatives recent passage of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which is expected to soon be signed into law by the president, Kristina Butts, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association executive director of legislative affairs, expressed disappointment.

“We are extremely disappointed the House passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act,” she said. “Food safety knows no size, and exempting some small producers and processors from the legislation, as the Tester/Hagan amendment will do, sets a dangerous precedent for the future our nation’s food-safety system.


Instead of including the Tester/Hagan language, Congress should have passed legislation to set appropriate standards for all products in the marketplace, no matter the size of the producing entity, she added.

“Going forward, NCBA will continue supporting improvements to our nation’s food-safety system that are based on sound science, focused on industry application and have a strong research foundation,” she concluded.