Food safety hearing focuses on single agency proposals

A hearing on whether the nation's food safety agencies are prepared for terrorist threats turned Wednesday into a repeat of sessions in previous years that focused on whether to create a single federal food-safety agency.

Under 35 current food safety laws, responsibilities are divided among 12 government agencies, with the Agriculture Department inspecting meat and poultry and the Food and Drug Administration responsible for most other foods.

Senate Governmental Affairs Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who presided over Wednesday's hearing, has introduced a bill to create one agency.

Elsa Murano, Agriculture undersecretary for food safety, said the Bush administration has no position on the creation of such an agency.

The National Food Processors Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association said they oppose a single agency. But the Food Marketing Institute, which represents retail supermarkets and other food distributors, favors assigning responsibility for food safety to one agency.