A House Committee has started work on a comprehensive overhaul of food safety rules, drafting the requirements for inspections of facilities serving U.S. consumers and the fees producers would have to pay for them. Knowing the last major overhaul was in 1938 many lawmakers and food industry officials believe an overhaul is overdue, but they disagree on timing of inspections and fee amounts.
President Obama's 2010 budget request proposed creating $51 million in new revenue from food, grain, animal and plant inspection fees. The draft would create a registry of all food facilities serving American consumers, impose an annual $1000 user fee on the facilities, and require registered facilities to pay costs associated with re-inspections and food recalls.
Representative Nathan Deal, R-Ga., says the proposal would impose undue burden and strain on the FDA and the inspection schedule wouldn't take the risk profiles for certain foods into consideration.