The U. S. Senate is now catching up with the House by getting a food safety bill out of committee. After many episodes of food-borne illness, even the food manufacturers are clamoring for more regulation (when there is a problem with one brand of peanuts, consumers tend to think "peanut"and not worry about which brand of peanuts is involved). The Senate bill (which still must be passed by the whole Senate and then make its way through a conference committee before final passage) increases inspections, requires traceability for fresh foods, but doesn't address cost.
To be sure, this legislation will cost. The FDA has been hamstrung in carrying out it much-restricted mission in recent years by the lack of funding. Food inspections have been low on the totem pole for either attention or funding. More funding will be needed to pay for those increased inspections.
The options for paying for the cost of this legislation include fees to producers or funds from general revenue (i.e., our tax dollars). My concern with fees is that they will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher food costs, just what we need to promote healthy eating. (Not.) Using tax dollars is appropriate since they will serve to protect the common good, i.e., public health. (My two cents!)
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