Risk Assessment

USDA, Office of the Chief Economist


	The Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis (ORACBA) was established by the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-354, H.R.4271, Section 304). ORACBA began operation on April 15, 1995, in USDA's Office of the Chief Economist. The Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis's (ORACBA) primary role is to ensure that major regulations proposed by USDA are based on sound scientific and economic analysis. A major regulation concerns human, health, safety or the environment and has an annual economic impact of at least $100 million in 1994 dollars. For such regulations, ORACBA conducts a thorough analysis that makes clear the nature of the risk, alternative ways of reducing it, the reasoning that justifies the proposed rule, and a comparison of the likely costs and benefits of reducing the risk. ORACBA will provide guidance and technical assistance, coordinate risk analysis work across the Department, and certify that statutory requirements are met.



	FDA FOOD CODE 2009: JOINT INTRODUCTION TO THE 2009 FOOD CODE The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are pleased to release the 2009 edition of the Food Code. The Food Code is a model code and reference document for state, city, county and tribal agencies that regulate restaurants, retail food stores, vending operations and foodservice operations in institutions such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes and child care centers. The FDA RISK COMMUNICATION BOOK UPDATED FOR 2009 The fourth edition of a popular risk communication book is available now. “Risk Communication: A Handbook for Communicating Environmental, Safety, and Health Risks,” by Regina Lundgren and Andrea McMakin, was published recently by Wiley-IEEE Press. The handbook guides readers on understanding, planning, implementing, and evaluating risk communication activities, with a soalid grounding of theory and research. This latest edition updates readers on laws, approaches, messages, technology-baeed applications such as social media, and international risk communication.

	Last Modified: 11/13/2009


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