Increase funding of epidemiological research to discover the risks associated with various production and consumption practices and behaviors. Create a mechanism for industry to have an incentive to share food safety information with researchers. This might be done through an insurance mechanism that protects industry from the costs associated with an outbreak. Plants that share auditing information and pathogen test results with researchers could participate in the insurance program at a lower cost than plants that do not share information. Joint Institute on Food Safety Research, USDA C-FARE prepared a statement at a public meeting on how USDA and HHS might organize a Joint Institute on Food Safety Research.
Food safety is one of our most complicated issues.
The only way to reduce the number of foodborne illnesses is to think broadly and recognize that there are contributions to be made by the biological, physical and social sciences. Encourage interdisciplinary research that crosses not just sub-disciplines of biology, but also crosses the biological, physical and social sciences. Seek input from professional associations that represent scientists about their research priorities related to food safety. This would be one way to further promote collaboration and cooperation among scientists and other stakeholders. This is the first C-FARE symposium designed to be a hybrid of a symposium and a congressional briefing.