The new agency would administer nutrition labeling laws, pesticide laws, and FDA’s authority under the Bioterrorism Act. In addition, the legislation calls for the modernization of existing meat and poultry inspection programs and requires new preventative programs for seafood, eggs, and produce.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest applauded the move, noting the patchwork food-safety regulatory system that is divided among several federal agencies and often is counter-intuitive. A single food-safety agency is needed to handle modern challenges, it said.