The President recently issued an Executive Order establishing a President's Food Safety Council which will now be responsible for development of a comprehensive strategic Federal food safety plan. A coordinated food safety strategic planning effort is needed to build on the common ground, and to tackle some of the difficult public health, resource, and management questions facing Federal food safety agencies. The strategic plan will focus on not just microbial contamination, but the full range of issues and actions necessary to ensure the safety of the food and water Americans use and consume. The charge is to develop a strategic long-range plan that can be used to help set priorities, improve coordination and efficiency, identify gaps in the current system and how to fill those gaps, enhance and strengthen prevention and intervention strategies, and identify measures to show progress. The result is the following draft statement encompassing the agencies' vision for the U.S. food safety system and the roles of all those involved in food safety.
Consumers can be confident that food is safe, healthy, and affordable.
We are vigilant to new and emergent threats and consider the needs of vulnerable populations. Food is safe because everyone understands and accepts their responsibilities. The next step is to engage consumers, producers, industry, food service providers, retailers, health professionals, State and local governments, Tribes, academia, and the public in the strategic planning process, beginning with a discussion of the draft vision statement and how to structure a strategic planning process that involves all interested parties and best addresses the important food safety challenges and makes the best use of the agencies' limited resources. This October 2nd meeting is the first of several public meetings to assist with development of a long-term strategic plan. Additional public meetings will be announced in the Federal Register prior to the date of each meeting.