Miley Gonzalez, Eileen Kennedy and our entire REE mission area for their work not just on food safety but research across the board. Cathie Woteki, Caren Wilcox, Tom Billy and their team for the extraordinary work they've done. I want to thank all of you here, who are a part of the partnership that makes the American food supply the safest in the world. And let's not forget President Clinton, who has made food safety a top priority of his Administration.
Research is the linchpin of our food safety strategy.
We need the best possible science and the most advanced technologies to keep pace with 21 st century food safety challenges. We need research that will allow us to get to emerging and evolving pathogens before they get to us. We need the best possible chemical and microbiological research. We need food safety research to enhance surveillance, to prevent contamination and bioterrorism, to improve treatment and more. The federal government must show the way.