Food Industry is Fighting FDA's New Rules for Imports

According to The Wall Street Journal, the food industry is resisting the FDA's efforts to better protect the U.S. food supply. A new FDA ruling requires companies to alert the agency before importing food into the U.S. However, food makers and importers believe that compliance with the new rules will inevitably raise costs and slow trade, while only slightly improving protection.

Food companies and trade associations have been lobbying the FDA to make changes to the Food Bioterrorism Act of 2002. The law, which will go into effect on December 12, 2003, has four major provisions. All domestic and foreign companies that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food for consumption in the U.S. must register with the FDA. Further, importers must notify the agency before their shipments arrive in the U.S., providing information on weight and specific contents. Plus, all companies must keep detailed records of their suppliers and customers, and the FDA may detain any food deemed to be a risk, including shipments whose prior notice was missing, late, or incomplete.