According to TraceGains’ founder Will Pape in the current issue of Quality Digest, “Support for changes to the way the FDA regulates its food area has been strong because the FDA-regulated industries have not only frequently been stung by an apparent unceasing string of high-profile recalls, but the industry stakeholders for these FDA-regulated commodities (fruits, vegetables, and manufactured foods) throughout all production segments from the first mile to the retailers seem to recognize that the status quo just doesn’t work anymore. They feel something needs to be done, and, in general, seem to be backing the regulations put forward in HR2749. As we discussed last month, industries affected by NAIS, on the other hand, do not have this broad consensus about the risk their industries face, nor a strong desire to change, and they don’t have clear industry leadership on this topic.”
Other differentiators include:
• HR2749 is a Congressional initiative policy change, and NAIS is generated by USDA staffers without detailed, legitimizing Congressional legislation.
• HR2749 puts most of the responsibility for action on the downstream manufacturer and retailer whereas NAIS places most of the action on the first-mile and upstream livestock producer who has been very vocal in rejecting the NAIS risk message.
• HR2749 includes clear, detailed exemptions for the very smallest first-mile producer who sells directly to the consumer through roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and CSA’s so that these small growers won’t feel they’re being pushed out of business while NAIS is not so clear that these small producers will be impacted.
• HR2749 has had broad industry endorsement and strong industry leadership from all stakeholder groups and is in synch with a parallel industry initiative (the Produce Traceability Initiative – PTI) whereas NAIS has few, strong industry champions and no parallel, detailed, industry-driven program.
Now that HR2749 has gone to the Senate for consideration, the Senate can either use this bill as its starting point, use a parallel Senate bill (S510 sponsored by Senator Durbin, five Republican Senators and five Democratic Senators) as their starting spot, use one of the other numerous food safety bills pending in the Senate as the stalking horse to move forward, or they can do nothing and let the HR2749 bill die in the 111th Congress. Of these options, using the S510 bill seems to us the likeliest as there are relatively few major differences between that bill and HR2749, and the administration definitely has gone on record that they would do something to change the way the FDA regulates food.
So, if HR2749 and S510 appear to be the basic grist to be considered first by the Senate and then by a joint committee, let’s look at the basic technology implications. The news here is that from a technology point of view, many of the proposed changes are in line with earlier policies but they are written more crisply and clearly. However, a few of the proposed changes are both broad and sweeping departures from previous policy and there are some serious technology implications.
The complete feature article appears in Quality Digest
TraceGains, Inc. (www.tracegains.com) was founded in 1998 with a 100% focus on traceability. The company has a patented delivery system —14 patents granted and growing —and also is an Issuer of United States Department of Agriculture Process Verification Program (PVP) Label.
TraceGains Inc.
www.tracegains.com
Marc Simony, Director of Marketing
traceability@tracegains.com
(303)682-9898