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National Bison Association Tackles Food Safety Legislative Proposals
09/10/2009
Denver, CO (September 10, 2009) – As congress settle back in this month to continue discussion over proposals to improve the nation’s food safety system, the National Bison Association, is mounting a concerted effort to make sure that any new regulations do not discriminate against bison producers, or against the nation’s small meat processors.
Shortly before adjourning in late July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sweeping new powers to regulate the nation’s food producers and processors. The Senate is scheduled to take up a separate version of the legislation later this fall.
Shortly before final passage, members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee inserted language into the legislation to exempt meat, poultry and egg producers who are already subject to food safety inspections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The wording in that “USDA Exemption,” however, does not include bison
In addition, the House proposal would mandate that food processing facilities pay an annual registration fee, but does not distinguish between the fees paid by small and large processing facilities.
During the August recess, the National Bison Association hosted a tour of a modern bison processing facility for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), a ranking member of the committee that drafted the proposal that passed the House of Representatives. During the tour, Rep. DeGette discussed the food safety practices utilized within the facility with officials of Rocky Mountain Natural Meats. The association also began working with the office of U.S. Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) to address the legislative language that does not treat bison equally to mainstream meat and poultry products. The offices of Rep. DeGette and Sen. Enzi have both offered to work with the bison industry to address the deficiencies.
Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association, said, “The North American bison industry is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of food safety for our products. We are pleased that key members of congress are willing to work with us to address the concerns of small processors, and of U.S. bison producers, as they work to modernize the nation’s food safety system.”
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