April 10, 2003

NRA Says FDA's Proposed One-Size-Fits-All Risk Approach May Have Negative Impact on Industry

Association files comments to FDA on proposed regulations on prior notification, registration (Washington, DC) The National Restaurant Association in comments recently submitted to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) said that while well-intended, the Agency's proposed regulations on requiring prior notice of imported food shipments and registration, designed to implement the 2002 Bioterrorism Act, may have negative repercussions on the nation's 870,000 restaurants. "The restaurant industry has had a longstanding commitment to food safety and food security to protect our customers and our 11.7 million employees. Therefore, the National Restaurant Association fully supports the need and intent of the 2002 Bioterrorism Act, and commends the Agency for attempting the very difficult task of developing prior notice guidelines for the multiple diverse food industry segments in such a short period of time," said Steve Grover, the Association's vice president of Health & Safety Regulatory Affairs. "However, we are concerned that the FDA's proposed regulations lack real-world, international business input and try to take a one-size-fits-all approach, which may inadvertently and negatively impact international trade and the nation's economy. If even a small percentage of imported foods are delayed or removed from international trade because of these new regulations, the cost implications for the nation's consumers and restaurants could be immediate. An uninterrupted supply of many consumer favorite foods could be a thing of the past." The Association also recommended that the FDA consider exemptions for small quantities of foods offered for import through common shipping and delivery services (such as United Parcel Service and FedEx), as well as exemptions on all imports from Canada and Mexico, as they have similar food safety laws and inspections systems as the United States. "If the federal government and food industry are to work together in order to ensure the safety of the nation's food supply, deploying available resources effectively and efficiently is the critical first step. Adjusting the information collection requirements for food imports as we have suggested in our comments will enable FDA and industry to comply with Congressional directives without wasting or misdirecting scarce national resources. The National Restaurant Association looks forward to working together with the FDA to help them determine the true impact of these rules and develop appropriate alternatives," Grover concluded.