Advocates Stand Up To Assault On Food Safety

Last year, food-borne E. coli outbreaks caused by contaminated spinach heightened the country’s awareness of food safety laws.

Incredibly, Congress was at that time considering legislation that would roll back food safety protections at the behest of the food manufacturers lobby.

As this newsletter goes to print, our coalition is working in the Senate to stop the attacks on our food safety protections, and calling on senators to oppose the so-called National Uniformity for Food Act. CoPIRG will work to stop any bill that would take away the rights of states to protect people from chemicals in food.

The act would eliminate proven food safety and labeling standards that are more protective than federal standards, even when the federal government has no regulation on the books.

States would lose this power if the bill went into effect. A PIRG-led coalition of state and local food safety officials and 39 attorneys general oppose the bill.

Our advocates will continue to work during the 110th Congress to ensure food safety.