U.S. lags on food regulation
Why are other developed nations so far ahead of the U.S. when it comes to regulating food safety?

I've got my theories.....

lobbyists
money
laziness
stupidity
apathy

Did anyone say "arrogance"?  I think you all are right on here!!!

cm5

http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-08-909T

Federal Oversight of Food Safety: FDA Has Provided Few Details on the Resources and Strategies Needed to Implement its Food Protection Plan
GAO-08-909T  June 12, 2008


http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-08-794
Food Safety: Selected Countries' Systems Can Offer Insights into Ensuring Import Safety and Responding to Foodborne Illness
GAO-08-794  June 10, 2008
Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 96 pages)   Accessible Text   

Like other nations, the United States faces growing food safety challenges resulting from at least three major trends. First, imported food makes up a growing share of the food supply. Second, consumers are increasingly eating foods that are raw or have had minimal processing and that are often associated with foodborne illness. Third, changing demographic patterns mean that more of the U.S. population is, and increasingly will be, susceptible to foodborne illness. In 2005, GAO reported on the approaches and challenges seven countries faced in reorganizing and consolidating food safety functions. Since then, the European Union (EU) has taken on a larger role in overseeing food safety within its 27 member states. GAO was asked to describe how Canada, the EU, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (UK) (1) ensure the safety of imported food, (2) respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness, and (3) measure the effectiveness of their reorganized food safety systems. GAO also asked experts in these countries and the EU to identify emerging food safety challenges that they expect to face over the next decade. In doing this work, GAO did not evaluate the countries' management of their food safety systems or explicitly compare their efforts with those of the United States.

After reading the second GAO  report, you can't tell me they don't know how to make the food supply safer:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08794.pdf

Suggest everyone mail a copy of this GAO report to the heads of the USDA, FDA, their Senators and Congresspersons and suggest they read it!
 

"The food industry now says it will agree to a better tracing system operated by the government, as long as the industry can advise how to design it.

"We support the government requiring industry to have traceability systems that are effective and work," said Jill Hollingsworth, group vice president for food safety programs at the marketing institute. "But industry has to come up with a system that follows products throughout the food chain."

Where have we all heard this garbage before, that the food industry is able and willing to police itself? Pardon me while I retch.
If manufacturers/importers/processors were not already cutting so many corners, the U.S. food supply might be safer.