Jul 16, 2009 2 min read

The Obama administration took a long-overdue step toward modernizing this nation’s disjointed and woefully under-funded system for protecting the food supply. By now, Americans realize that the threat to public health is not hypothetical. Some of our most popular foods have been subject to recall and halts in production. Peanut butter. Cookie dough. Beef. Spinach. Peppers. Pistachios.

At a news conference announcing the findings of the Obama-appointed food safety-working group, Vice President Joe Biden said the change would not be merely a matter of restructuring the bureaucracy and pouring more money into food safety – it was a welcome change in focus. “In the past we’ve focused on better reactions to food safety problems when they occur,” Biden said.

Standards, inspections and penalties will be increased.

One of the most significant changes will be to reduce salmonella with new rules focused on egg producers. Those with more than 3,000 hens will be required to buy their chicks from suppliers that monitor for the bacteria. Poultry houses also will be required to test regularly for pests and rodents, and they will be forced to refrigerate their eggs at 45 degrees Fahrenheit within 36 hours after they are laid.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also was assigned to recommend ways for vegetable growers to reduce disease strains – with a goal of elevating standards within two years.The study group also called for better coordination among the 15 government agencies that are part of the food-safety system.

Meanwhile, Congress has been working on even more substantial changes, including the creation of a Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services. Congress also is considering a measure that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration more money and authority to inspect food facilities and to pull products off the shelves.

Even in lean times, the oversight of the nation’s food supply is an essential government responsibility. It’s a matter of public health and national security.