WASHINGTON, DC — July 26, 2006 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) appreciates the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee holding hearings on S. 3128, "The National Uniformity for Food Act," on July 27.




"This legislation will deliver much-needed clarity and consistency for consumers in the standards safeguarding America’s food supply," said Tim Hammonds, president and CEO of FMI.




This legislation will set uniform national food safety standards that will eliminate confusion among consumers and bolster their confidence due to the state-to-state consistency of the information formulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the world’s leading food safety agency. Americans in every state will be protected equally under the requirements established by S. 3128. With its set of regular standards, this legislation will help eliminate laws that are outdated, duplicative, and unnecessary and ensure that food safety information will be driven by science.




Setting uniform national safety standards has proven effective in the past when Congress established uniform requirements for poultry and meat standards, over-the-counter medicine, pesticide tolerances, nutrition and allergen labeling and medical devices.