Casey, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Food Safety Legislation

Press Release

EAT SAFE Act of 2007 will help increase the safety of food and agriculture products

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the first major bipartisan food safety bill. The Ending Agricultural Threats: Safeguarding America's Food for Everyone otherwise known as the EAT SAFE Act of 2007 will address the problems of smuggled food and agriculture products which currently pose serious risks to our plants, animals and food and pose a threat to our nation's health, economy and security.

"In the wake of massive recalls of contaminated pet food and consumer warnings about the safety of various imported food products, ensuring the safety of food products and food ingredients has taken on a greater urgency," said Casey. "The EAT SAFE Act addresses these serious risks by applying common-sense measures to protect our food and agricultural supply. I'm pleased to work with Senator Grassley on this important legislation."

"Americans have enjoyed the safest and most abundant food supply in the world, yet we're seeing consumer confidence continue to wane as food recalls are becoming all too common," Grassley said. "The EAT SAFE Act would help give assurance to consumers that the imported product they picked up at the grocery store is safe. I appreciate Senator Casey's work on this issue and am pleased to work with him."

A September 2007 report issued by the President's Interagency Working Group on Import Safety acknowledges that, "aspects of our present import system must be strengthened to promote security, safety, and trade for the benefit of American consumers." Just one of the aspects that need to be strengthened is the detection of the mounting numbers of shipments of smuggled or otherwise illegally imported food and agricultural products coming into this country.

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