Collaborative FDA

[SENATE & HOUSE]

Background

Food, with the exception of meat, poultry, and a few other products, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. FDA is led by a Commissioner who has historically been a medical doctor with more expertise on the ‘drug’ side of FDA than ‘food’. Congress rarely questions the Commissioner on food related issues. From a budget perspective, funding for food and nutrition programs pales in comparison to other FDA programs.

Key Facts

FDA regulates 78% of the U.S. food supply, including all fresh fruits and vegetables.
Only 2% of FDA’s proposed FY2023 budget increase would go toward food safety (including both human and animal food).

Talking Points

Regulating food should not be an afterthought for the FDA. To ensure an even safer food supply I ask you to support Congressional action by appointing a Deputy Commissioner for Foods; ensure more transparent accounting of FDA expenditures within the food arena; and compel FDA to engage stakeholders and industry experts in establishing foodborne illness outbreak evaluation models.

Promoting an Efficient, Effective, Transparent and Collaborative FDA