GAO Says Food Safety Act Alone Will Not Resolve Fragmented Oversight
The Government Accountability Office has concluded in a report to congressional committees that more government-wide planning is needed to address the fragmented oversight of food safety.
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Food Safety Legislation Helps but Does not Create New, Risk-Based Structure
The GAO states that the new food safety legislation which was signed into law in January 2011 strengthens a major part of the food safety system; however, it does not apply to the federal food safety system as a whole or create a new risk-based food safety structure.
(According to GAO, it and other organizations had regularly paired proposals for comprehensive food safety legislation with alternative food safety organizations, but the latter part of this suggestion was not heeded.)
Panel Should Consider Single Agency, Risk Analysis Center, Coordination, Etc.
GAO and other organizations have identified options to reduce fragmentation and overlap in food safety oversight in the form of alternative organizational structures, but a detailed analysis of their advantages, disadvantages, and potential implementation challenges has yet to be conducted. GAO has suggested that Congress consider commissioning the National Academy of Sciences or a blue ribbon panel to conduct a detailed analysis of alternative organizational structures for food safety. Some of the alternative organizational structures include a single food safety agency, a food safety inspection agency, a data collection and risk analysis center, and a coordination mechanism led by a central chair.
Recommends Government-Wide Performance Plan for Food Safety Oversight
GAO recommends that the Director of Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the federal food safety agencies, develop a government-wide performance plan for food safety that includes results oriented goals and performance measures for food safety oversight and a discussion about strategies and resources.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/07/11, 06/11/10, 05/26/10, 03/16/10, and 11/19/09 news, 11030716, 10061125, 10052665, 10031640, 09101915, for BP summaries of previous GAO reports on food safety.)
(GAO-11-289, March 2011)