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Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said
he wants to modernize the food safety system, including focusing meat
inspection on pathogen prevention and containment.
"A modernized system would have as a goal prevention, early detection if
it can't be prevented, and mitigation of any adverse impacts if something
occurs," Vilsack told journalists on a
conference call.
Addressing calls from some consumer groups and legislators for a singe food
safety agency that would combine USDA and FDA, Vilsack
was quoted as saying, "I think before there can be any conversation
about merging of entities or a single agency or anything of that sort, you've
got to get the foundation right."
Vilsack promised to quickly name a new head of
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection service. Last week USDA named Ron Hicks
Acting Deputy Under Secretary to lead the Office of Food Safety during the
interim of the incoming administration. Hicks recently served as FSIS' chief
operating officer.
In a news release, USDA outlined some of Vilsack's
priorities:
- Advancing renewable energy
sources while also making sure the biofuels
industry has the support to survive recent market challenges
- Making progress on major
environmental challenges, including climate change while helping farmers
participate in markets that reward them for sequestering carbon and
limiting greenhouse gas emissions
- Providing a safety net for farmer
and ranchers (including independent producers and local and organic
agriculture)that includes enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act
- Modernizing the food safety
system
- Quickly implementing the 2008
farm bill
- Combating childhood obesity and
enhancing health and nutrition
- Investing in programs that
alleviate hunger and suffering overseas and support long-term
agriculture development.
- Restoring the mission of the
Forest Service as a protector of clean air, clean water, and wildlife
habitat and a key player in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon
sequestration
- Modernizing USDA's computer
systems and
- Cleaning up USDA's civil rights
record.
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