Washington - President Clinton will ask for an extra $106.9 million in funding for food safety when he unveils his proposed fiscal budget next month, an administration official said.
But the administration will face a battle in trying to squeeze additional food safety money out of Congress when farm state lawmakers are clamoring for a bigger slice of the budget to fund emergency aid programs.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, speaking at Tennessee State University, said the administration would seek $106.9 million more for food safety inspections and research in its fiscal 2000 budget.
"President Clinton's national food safety initiative is enhancing inspections, expanding cutting-edge research and promoting foodborne disease surveillance,” Glickman said.
"The results demonstrate that our comprehensive farm-to-table strategy is working,” he added.
Last year, Clinton asked for $101 million in additional funds for the total of about $1 billion spent annually on various food safety programs among a dozen federal agencies.
Congress eventually approved a $75-million increase but only after a bipartisan group of senators urged budget bill negotiators to significantly expand House approval of just $16.8 million in extra funds.
The extra funding came amid intense lobbying by U.S. farm groups last autumn for money to help growers hit hard by slumping world commodity prices, drought and plant disease. Congress later adopted a separate $5.9 billion package of emergency aid for growers.
"The administration has shown a willingness to stick its neck out for food safety,” said Caroline Smith deWaal, an analyst with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This is critically important funding to modernize the inspection programs.”
Of the nearly $107 million, about $65 million will be earmarked for the U.S. Agriculture Department and the remainder will go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The USDA has primary authority over meat and poultry while the FDA regulates vegetables, fruits and other foods.
Although the Clinton Administration will not release details about its budget proposal until next month, much of the additional increase proposed for USDA is expected to be for meat inspection improvements.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
Return to Home Page