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GAO: Cut Duplication in Food Safety Programs
March 3, 2011
2 Min Read
WASHINGTONA new General Accountability Office (GAO) report released this week suggested federal food safety responsibilities be consolidated under one agency to reduce potential duplication.
The 354-page report, Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue", is the first comprehensive analysis of the duplication and overlap across the federal budget. Reducing or eliminating duplication, overlap or fragmentation could potentially save billions of tax dollars annually and help agencies provide more efficient and effective services.
According to the report, fragmented a food safety system has caused inconsistent oversight, ineffective coordination, and inefficient use of resources. The U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are the primary food safety agencies; however, 15 agencies collectively involved overseeing 30 food laws.
The report also identified three trends creating food safety challenges: a substantial and increasing portion of the U.S. food supply is imported; consumers are eating more raw and minimally processed foods; and segments of the population that are particularly susceptible to foodborne illnesses, such as older adults and immune-compromised individuals is growing.
As reported by Meatingplace, the GAO report recommended establishing the following organizational changes:
A single food safety agency, either housed within an existing agency or established as an independent entity, that assumes responsibility for all aspects of food safety at the federal level;
A single food safety inspection agency that assumes responsibility solely for food safety inspection activities, under an existing department such as USDA or FDA.
A data collection and risk analysis center for food safety that consolidates data collected from a variety of sources and analyzes it at the national level
A centralized, executive leadership for the existing organizational structure, led by a central chair who would be appointed by the president and have control over resources.
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