Release No. 0022.98
                                                                 

Remarks
                               OF
                     SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN
         5TH ANNIVERSARY OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST OUTBREAK
             CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- JANUARY 18, 1998

     
     Good afternoon. We are here to remember and pay our respects
to those who are gone, those who are left behind, and those who
have survived. In my faith, we have a saying:  The only truly
dead are those who have been forgotten.' I carry with me today a
very simple message from President Clinton: America will never
forget.

     We have heard today words of remembrance. We have heard
about the meaning of respect. I am here -- as your Secretary of
Agriculture -- to talk about resolve. This church provides a
fitting backdrop because I most certainly am preaching to the
choir. But our refrain echoes across this nation. Every American
family is with us in our effort to improve the safety of our
nation's food. 

     You know, this afternoon as I got on a plane to come here, I
thought to myself: We hear so much these days about how people
just want government to get out of the way. Yet no one would ever
question government's role in ensuring our planes are safe. If
you asked people what should government do about aviation safety?
The answer would be nearly unanimous -- more. 

     The American people feel equally strongly about food safety.
Everywhere I go, it is the first question on people's minds. Is
my food safe? Is my family at risk at the dinner table or a
restaurant? How can I be sure? 

     People look to their government to protect them in ways that
they cannot protect themselves. That is why, as Secretary of
Agriculture, there's nothing I take more seriously than the
safety of America's food. This is the one that keeps me up at
night.

     At the dawn of this century, Chicago was home to a great
national hero by the name of Upton Sinclair. By the simple act of
telling the American people the truth, he pushed government and
meatpackers to do what was right -- to take basic steps to
protect the public health.

     More than 90 years later, names like Nancy Donley, Roni
Rudolph, and Mary Heersink may not be as familiar, but the impact
that all of you in this organization have had on our nation is at
least as lasting and profound.

     Unlike Mr. Sinclair, you did not choose this calling. I'm
sure that many of you would much rather be serving on the PTA, or
as a Little League coach, or the head of a Girl Scout troop.
Instead, you found one another through unspeakable tragedy, and
found in each other a powerful devotion to seeing that other
families never experience what you have. 

                                  
                                
     President Clinton had just taken office when your nightmare
began. Your experiences and the voice and face you gave to some
very somber statistics galvanized this Administration and our
nation behind a food safety revolution. 

     We started by creating a separate Food Safety and Inspection
Service at USDA -- run by independent public health experts at an
arm's length from the interests of agriculture.

     We declared E. coli 0157:H7 an adulterant in meat, banning
the sale of any product with which it was contaminated. This
decision -- which has kept millions of pounds of bad meat away
from good people -- was bitterly resisted at the time.

     We established FoodNet -- a state-of-the-art, nationwide
monitoring system to speed our ability to identify and contain
outbreaks. In the Pacific Northwest, 700 people were sick before
the outbreak was under control. During the Hudson outbreak, that
number was down to 16. 

     Last year, Nancy, Roni and other parents stood with
President Clinton as he announced an historic leap into the 21st
century for America's meat and poultry inspections. For the first
time, there will be regular tests for E. coli and salmonella. For
the first time, plants and processors will be required to not
just catch contamination, but close the safety gaps that invite
it in the first place. For the first time, the focus is on
prevention. For the first time, America's public policy makes it
crystal clear that industry is responsible for producing safe
food.

     Our new meat and poultry inspection system will begin to
take effect next week. I can think of no greater way to show our
respect and our resolve on the 5th anniversary of this tragedy
than to launch America's second great food safety revolution for
meat and poultry.

     And I want to make one thing perfectly clear -- we will be
watching. If you're out there producing dirty product -- what we
would call a  repeat violator,' from now on -- don't expect a
thousand chances to get it right.  USDA will make sure plants
know what they need to do to fix problems, but we will not
hesitate to close down those plants that refuse to take their
food safety responsibilities seriously.       

     I also strongly believe that USDA needs new enforcement
tools. As the law stands today, USDA cannot order a recall of
unsafe food. We cannot fine a company that puts the public health
at risk. Most Americans are stunned to find this out. After all,
government can recall unsafe toys, cars and other products. It
can fine airlines and manufacturers with lax safety standards.
Why treat unsafe food differently? We need to trade in this
double standard for one high standard of protection for our
people. I could certainly use STOP's resolve in this fight. It's
an uphill battle right now, but I have no doubt that a strong
voice for America's families would refocus this debate, and
breathe new life into this important effort.  

     I have several food safety folks from USDA with me here
today, people who have worked on these issues for many years,
some of the best scientists in their field. I think I can speak
for all of them, and many more in the government and  public
health arenas, in saying that all of these accomplishments I have
just laid out -- which this Administration counts among its
greatest --  would likely not have been possible without all of
you.

     Alexis du Tocqueville, the great French observer of American
democracy, once asked Alexander Hamilton: What is so great about
America? Hamilton answered:  Here, sir, the people govern.'
Looking around me today, I know exactly what he meant.

     
                                
                                
     We should not forget that it was just a few years ago when
government told consumers that contamination was unavoidable;
that it was their problem.  Fortunately for America, STOP refused
to accept that answer. Instead, you became a powerful, morally
unstoppable force for change.

     For decades, every time a major food safety reform was
pushed. Advocates were told to forget it. They were told that
their ideas were out there; that they would devastate a vibrant
part of the U.S. economy; that they didn't have a chance. Five
years ago, everything changed, and there was a parting of the
waters. Industry, consumer groups, government and public health
officials sat down together at the table, and time after time, we
didn't get up until we'd done the right thing. 

     Without a doubt, the difference was each of you, and this
wonderful organization. You shared your stories. We listened, and
we all knew what we had to do. 

     What about all that economic doom and gloom that the
naysayers predicted? It never came to pass. In fact, America's
high food safety standards are one of agriculture's great assets
today. Look at the major world food scares of 1997: During the
avian flu scare in Hong Kong -- where they killed all the
chickens -- Hong Kong consumers cut their poultry purchases in
half. With the mad cow scare in Europe, beef sales there dropped
40%. Those countries' industries were devastated. Here at home,
what was the economic impact of the Hudson beef recall? Zero.
People trusted that their government was putting their safety
first. That confidence is rare around the world. 

     I don't believe in talking about food safety in terms of the
economic numbers, except to point out a very encouraging trend:
The economic interests of agriculture and the public interest in
food safety are rapidly becoming one and the same, as the market
-- in an educated, empowered consumer environment -- recognizes a
simple overriding fact: safe food sells. 

     As much as America has needed your resolve these past five
years, we will need it even more as we face up to the food safety
challenges of a new century. We need more research to help us
understand a complex enemy: What causes E. coli's presence in
farm animals? Why does our foe change its stripes, creating new,
more virulent strands? 

     ... You know, I'm a Kansan, and Kansans don't make a habit
of walking around speaking Latin to one another, but I want to
share with you our state motto -- ad astra per aspera, to the
stars through difficulties. It seems to translate particularly
well today.

     It would be all too easy to stand here -- especially on this
day -- and think only of death, despair and loss. You must
forgive me if I look around this room today, and see life, hope
and all that America has gained through your tireless, selfless
advocacy. 

     From great personal tragedy, this organization has risen up
to lead the nation toward higher ground on one of the most
critical public health debates of our time. Standing here in a
church that reaches further up into the heavens than any other on
earth, I hope that you continue to challenge me and all Americans
to reach higher. 

     Beyond that, I have nothing to teach any of you about
resolve. You have turned the tide on food safety. You have
focused the nation on what really matters -- the difference
between a happy and a heartbroken family. You have made America
stronger. 

     The only advice that I can give you today is never, ever
stop.

On behalf of a grateful president and a grateful nation, thank
you.

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