Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with the Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Last week, the U.S. Senate passed a bill aimed at improving food safety across the country. But because of a technical matter, its future is somewhat in doubt.
The bill would do several things, including requiring FDA inspections of food facilities and giving the FDA the authority to recall tainted food rather than rely on food producers to issue recalls voluntarily.
The bill contains an exemption for small farms that have less than $500,000 in annual sales and sell most of their food within a 275-mile radius or within the same state.
The bill passed the Senate early last week, and it appeared to be on the fast track for approval by the House of Representatives. But the bill includes a tax-related provision. And since all tax provisions are supposed to come up in the House first, that gives members the opportunity to make an objection. There isn’t much time left in the session, so this hurdle could be enough to stall the bill until next year.
Listen as Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the bill and its unclear future, plus another initiative the FDA is undertaking.
[audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_12-7.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Dec. 7]