Highlights from the Bush Administration’s First 180 Days

USDA’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for rural America and for all Americans by supporting agricultural production. Serving this mission requires utilizing prioritized resources, reflected in the budget submitted to Congress, administered by personnel well suited to meet the diverse challenges of agriculture and rural communities.

In addition to the dedicated career employees, USDA has approximately 300 non-career positions. Secretary Veneman and the White House have filled nearly 130 of these positions to date with a diverse group of individuals highly qualified to meet the challenges of USDA’s mission. She has highlighted the Administration’s commitment to fulfilling USDA’s mission in several keynote speeches on budget, food safety, plant and disease prevention and farm programs.

President Bush Completes Sub-Cabinet

At the 180-day mark, the President has named his nominees for all 10 of USDA’s sub-cabinet positions. Seven of these nominees, including the Department’s Deputy Secretary, have been confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office. Three nominees are currently awaiting Senate confirmation.

Ensuring a safe, affordable, nutritious & accessible food supply

Meat and Poultry Inspection Receives Full Funding for FY 2002

The President’s FY2002 Budget Request demonstrates the Administration’s commitment to food safety. The President’s $715.6 million request for meat and poultry inspection was fully funded by the House of Representatives in July, and an additional $5.1 million was approved. The $25.5 million in additional funding requested by the President and approved by the House over the FY 2001 level will facilitate the expansion of the National Residue Program, provide for increased on-site audits of foreign inspection programs, and provide a 4.6 percent pay increase for employees.

Submitted Regulations to Further Food Safety

In February, USDA re-submitted a proposed regulation to require meat and poultry processing establishments to conduct testing for Listeria. In order to facilitate public input and gather additional information, a public meeting was held to obtain additional scientific information and analytical data that could help strengthen the scientific foundation of the rule.

Food Safety Continues to Make Gains with HACCP

Since 1996, Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems have been implemented in the more than 6,000 federally inspected and 2,500 State-inspected meat and poultry plants nationwide. New data released in April 2001 show that Salmonella prevalence levels in all product categories show a dramatic reduction when compared with levels prior to HACCP implementation. The Secretary, in a keynote speech, has outlined how the Bush Administration will continue to improve the safety of our meat and poultry products and ensure that common sense and sound science prevail during our inspection processes.

Reinspection Program for Imported Meat and Poultry Updated

In May, USDA held a public meeting to announce plans to update its port of entry reinspection of meat and poultry food products. The updates include revamping the FSIS computerized reinspection assignment and data collection system to provide improved information on products entering the United States.

USDA Launches New Food Safety Research Web Site

USDA launched a new web site (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fsrio) to serve as a database of food safety research projects to the research community and the general public. The site provides detailed information on food safety research projects, spending and accomplishments by U.S. Federal agencies, along with links to other important food safety research information. Researchers and policy makers can use this site as a tool to examine research needs and priorities in food safety. The searchable database provides information on nearly 500 food safety research projects dating from 1988 to the present, as well as more than 100 links to Web-based food safety research information provided by U.S. and foreign governments and educational and professional organizations.

Redesigned Slaughter Inspection System Improves Food Safety

In June, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released new data demonstrating that the HACCP-based inspection models project continues to show dramatic improvements in food safety and other consumer protections. The models project, which is being tested in about 20 out of the approximately 6,500 plants FSIS regulates, shows a 99.9% reduction in food safety defects over traditional slaughter inspection. FSIS is initiating rulemaking to permit the models project to be used nationwide.

Public Health Approach to Food Safety

In June, FSIS held the first in a series of meetings on a USDA initiative to further protect the public health by improving inspection of processed meat and poultry products.<