Grocery Manufacturers of America President and CEO C. Manly Molpus today hailed the commitment to food safety reflected in the Bush administration’s FY 2002 budget plan, released yesterday. His comments were part of opening remarks at GMA’s Spring Scientific & Regulatory Policy Conference.
“President Bush’s budget proposal is an important step to ensure that America continues to have the safest food supply in the world,” said Molpus. “The President has clearly recognized the importance of ensuring that food safety agencies have adequate resources, appropriately applied, so that the agencies can respond to the changing dynamics of food safety in a creative and effective manner.”
“GMA is committed to an FDA that has the resources it needs to carry out all of its mandates. We will urge Congressional action on this increase of food safety funds so FDA can retain its status as a world-class food safety agency.
At the conference, Molpus also noted that GMA filed a petition last month urging the FDA to reverse its stance on how it implements the Pearson v. Shalala decision. In Pearson, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the FDA’s restrictive policy on food disease prevention claims was a violation of the First Amendment.
Molpus said that FDA must allow the food industry to communicate product attributes that are helpful to consumers. “Conventional foods should not be restricted from making qualified claims that can be made for dietary supplements because consumers can benefit from increased information about the link between food and health,” he added.
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“We need the agency to rethink its position on disease claims for food. We believe the court agrees. GMA will give FDA a reasonable amount of time to respond to our petition, but we are prepared to bring this matter to the U.S. District Court,” said Molpus.
Molpus’ speech also addressed the implications regulatory decisions made by Codex Alimentarius will have on international trade.
GMA is the world’s largest association of food, beverage and consumer product companies. With U.S. sales of more than $460 billion, GMA members employ more than 2.5 million workers in all 50 states. The organization applies legal, scientific and political expertise from its member companies to vital food, nutrition and public policy issues affecting the industry. Led by a board of 44 Chief Executive Officers, GMA speaks for food and consumer product manufacturers at the state, federal and international levels on legislative and regulatory issues. The association also leads efforts to increase productivity, efficiency and growth in the food, beverage and consumer products industry.
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