Clinton Administration Accomplishments in Food Safety
                                                               
                                            Release No. 0035.98
                                                               
                                    Johna Pierce (202) 720-4623
                                          johna.pierce@usda.gov
                                    Tom Amontree (202) 720-4623
                                          tom.amontree@usda.gov
                                                               

Clinton Administration Accomplishments in Food Safety

     October, 1997.  President Clinton announces new initiative to enhance FDA oversight
     over imported foods and to develop guidance on good agricultural and manufacturing
     practices for fruits and vegetables.

     October, 1997.  Administration announces public-private partnership to promote food
     safety education, that includes the "Fight BAC"  campaign .

     May, 1997.  President announces comprehensive new initiative to improve the safety of
     the nation's food supply -- "Food Safety from Farm to Table"-- detailing a $43 million
     food safety program, including measures to improve surveillance, outbreak response,
     education, and research.

     January, 1997.  President announces new Early Warning System to gather critical
     scientific data to help stop foodborne disease outbreaks quickly and to improve
     prevention systems.

     January, 1997.  Administration requires generic E.coli testing for all meat and poultry
     slaughter plants and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures. 

     August, 1996.  President signs Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996.  The law requires
     drinking water systems to protect against dangerous contaminants like crytosporidium,
     and gives people the right to know about contaminants in their tap water.

     August, 1996.  President signs Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, which streamlines
     regulation of pesticides by FDA and EPA and puts important new public-health
     protections in place, especially for children.

     July, 1996.  President announces new regulations that modernize the nation's meat and
     poultry inspection system for the first time in 90 years.  The HACCP systems approach 
     emphasizes science based controls and microbiological testing directly targeted at E. coli
     O157:H7 and Salmonella.

     December, 1995.  Administration issues new rules to ensure the safety of seafood using
     the HACCP regulatory approach.  
       
     October, 1994.  Administration declares E.coli O157:H7 an adulterant in raw ground
     beef and initiates a nationwide sampling program in federally inspected plants and retail
     stores that process ground beef.

     March, 1994.  Administration requires safe handling and cooking instructional labels on
     raw meat and poultry products.

                                               January 26, 1998