Introduced by Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), the bill has the strong bi-partisan support of 225 additional members of Congress. If enacted, this legislation will provide all consumers with accurate, consistent information about food safety. Relying on the best science available to state and federal governments, the National Uniformity for Food Act will harmonize existing state and federal laws to create a uniform system for all food safety standards and warning labels.

“The National Uniformity for Food Act is common-sense legislation that will help consumers make educated decisions for themselves and their families,” said GMA President and CEO C. Manly Molpus. “Consumers deserve a single standard when it comes to food safety, and this bill will ensure that the states and the FDA work collaboratively to establish sound food safety policies that benefit, not confuse, consumers.”

Under the proposal, states would have the ability to petition the FDA to apply their safety standard nationally. In addition, state governments would retain their authority to enforce existing regulations for inspections and sanitation requirements as well as the ability to issue their own warnings as they deem appropriate.

Congress has long recognized the importance of setting nationally uniform food standards. For example, Congress passed the “National Labeling and Education Act of 1990” to provide consumers with consistent nutrition information on all packaged foods and beverages. Other bills enacted to ensure uniform national food standards include the “Food Quality Protection Act of 1996,” the “Poultry Products Inspection Act” and the “Meat Inspection Act.”

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