Ridge calls for unified food agency.

Homeland security chief Tom Ridge says the Bush administration hopes to create a single federal agency. Currently the responsibilities of regulating the food supply are divided between the Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department. Congress would have to approve any merger.

Consumer advocates and the supermarket industry long have pushed for creation of a single food agency. But food makers have resisted, and officials in the two agencies are also reluctant to lose any power. Even the idea of giving the FDA more staff and legal authority, to bring it up to par with the Agriculture Department, is unpopular with segments of the food industry.

Ridge assured food industry officials that they would be consulted as the administration considers consolidating the inspection system.

The food industry responded to Ridge's comments with concerns about the timing of the proposed merger. Kelly Johnston, executive vice president of government affairs for the National Food Processors Association, said any merger now would be "very disruptive" to the industry, given the heightened concern about security.

"Before we embark on a radical restructuring of the food safety agencies we should be absolutely convinced that there is no better way to proceed," said Manly Molpus, president of the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

Ronald Hicks, a top official in Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, said the biggest problem is public misunderstanding about the agencies' differing responsibilities. He said the agencies work closely together.

The FDA has asked the food industry to comment on several ideas for improving food security, including requiring tamper-resistant packaging and mandating that produce trucks be sealed.

The FDA, meanwhile, is adding inspectors at ports and border crossings to check imported products. Until recently, the FDA staffed just 20 of the nation's 95 import points and inspected just 0.6 percent of Le food coming into the country. The agency now is inspecting 40 ports and border crossings and will soon have staff at all 95, Lester Crawford, FDA's senior official, said at the conference.