DeLauro Statement on the 20 Million Chickens Fed Contaminated Feed

Press Release

DeLauro Statement on the 20 Million Chickens Fed Contaminated Feed

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) issued the following statement on the announcement by the US Department of Agriculture that as many as 20 million chickens on farms across the country may have been fed feed contaminated by melamine. DeLauro is the chairman of the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee and co-chair of the Congressional Food Safety Caucus.

"The FDA initially tried to minimize the impact of the pet food recall and dismissed claims that the contaminated pet food could threaten the human food supply. And they were wrong. This discovery that as many as 20 million chickens on farms across the country may have been fed melamine contaminated feed highlights the egregious holes in our food safety system. Had this situation been approached with an open mind, these connections to animal feed could have been made sooner. We finally need to acknowledge that our antiquated food safety system has collapsed and is unable to protect the public health.

"This latest disclosure in the pet food recall demonstrates that our food safety system needs to be reformed. It is time to grant the FDA and other food safety agencies clear mandatory recall and inspection authority. These initial steps would help create a modern, comprehensive food safety agency that will be capable of protecting our food supply and restoring consumer confidence."

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