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What’s New
In May, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced a bill (S. 3128) that would eliminate strong state laws that ensure food safety and adequate food labeling. This bill, pushed by the big food manufacturers, does not establish any food safety and labeling requirements; instead, it simply eliminates proven food safety and labeling standards that are more protective than federal standards, even when the federal government has done nothing. Laws at risk of preemption include milk safety and restaurant sanitation standards in all 50 states; laws in 15 states allowing the states to enact stricter standards for food additives; and scores of laws that require food manufacturers to truthfully label their products.
How You Can Help
Take a minute to tell your senator to protect your local food safety net.
Overview
Protecting the safety and integrity of the food supply is one of the oldest functions of government, one that the American people expect their government to perform and perform well.
The food industry has long been working to slash this food safety net, as well as remove basic right-to-know protections that give consumers the power to know if toxic chemicals are in their food. Their plan would take away the power of states and local governments to continue to protect their citizens.
U.S. PIRG is working in the Senate to stop an attack on our food safety net, and calling on Senators to oppose the so-called National Uniformity for Food Act, and any bill that would take away the rights of states to protect people from chemicals in food.
Resources
Reports:
The Food Safety Net: Ensuring Safe Food from Production to Consumption, April 2006. Read how state food safety laws are protecting public health in: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. (all PDFs)
Letters:
Click here to view the letter from U.S. PIRG and a broad coalition of consumer, food safety, and environmental groups opposing S. 3128, a bill that would preempt proven food safety and labeling laws in states across the country, June 2006. (PDF, 197 KB)
Click here to view the letter from U.S. PIRG to the U.S. House of Representatives opposing H.R. 4167, a bill preempting at least 200 state food safety and labeling laws, February 2006. (PDF, 329 KB)
