[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SALUTE TO BRISTOL TREE CITY USA BOARD

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the Bristol TN, 
Tree City USA Board, which was founded 6 years ago to enhance the 
natural beauty of the Bristol area.
  Under the leadership of Dr. Donald Ellis, the tree board has embarked 
on a massive reforestation project in their area. Since the effort 
began, Tennesseeans have volunteered one by one to plant trees around 
Bristol with the goal of planting 1 million trees by the Tennessee 
bicentennial this year. Mr. President, I'm proud to say that these 
volunteers have not only reached their goal, but they will gather 
together on September 6 to plant tree number 1 million and one.
  This is truly an example of the spirit that has made the Volunteer 
State great for 200 years, and it's fitting that the 1 million and 
first tree will be planted this year by a volunteer.
  In celebration of the bicentennial, my family and I also planted a 
tree--in Washington DC. Earlier this summer, Karyn, the boys and I 
planted a tulip poplar--the Tennessee State tree --on the grounds of 
the U.S. Capitol Building. This bicentennial tree will serve as the 
official Tennessee State tree on the Capitol grounds and as a testament 
to the contagious nature of beautification efforts like Tree City USA.
  Mr. President, I commend Tree City USA for its dedication to the 
community of Bristol. Projects like Tree City USA not only benefit the 
people of Bristol, but all Americans. I would also like to commend the 
people of Bristol, TN and thank them for their efforts. Tree City USA 
could not reach its goal without the hard work of these community-
minded citizens.
 Mr. KERREY. Mr. President I would like to express my 
appreciation to the managers of the FY1997 Agriculture Appropriations 
bill, the Senior Senator from Mississippi Mr. Cochran and the Senior 
Senator from Arkansas Mr. Bumpers. Both Senators worked very hard to 
see that a well balanced bill came out of Conference. I would also like 
to note my appreciation that the conferees made a very wise decision to 
fully fund the Food Safety Inspection Service. Full funding for FSIS 
allows our food safety inspectors to do their job of protecting the 
nation's meat and poultry. I also rise to engage Mr. Bumpers in a 
colloquy regarding the importance of food safety research done by the 
Agricultural Research Service. Understanding the enormous role that 
research plays in agriculture, I believe it is important to note that 
by increasing funding for food safety research the conferees laid the 
groundwork for a safe food supply well into the next century.
  Mr. BUMPERS. Mr. President, I also rise in support of the conferees 
decision to increase spending on food safety research through the 
Agricultural Research Service. This research is a very important part 
of the Federal Government's effort to protect the nation's food supply. 
The FY1997 Agriculture Appropriation's Conference Report sets spending 
for ARS Food Safety Research at $5.5 million. By increasing funding for 
this research the Conferees took an important step toward ensuring that 
our food supply meets our highest expectations.
  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I appreciate Senator Bumpers' support of 
this important issue. I would like to talk about several particular 
food safety research initiatives. I strongly support, along with the 
Conferees, three important components of pre-harvest and post-harvest 
food safety research proposed by the Agricultural Research Service. The 
Conferees made the right decision to fund research of methodologies for 
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) validation, host-
pathogen relationships and rapid on-farm DNA-based diagnostic testing.
  ARS should emphasize research on the genetic basis for host-pathogen 
relationships. Scientists already know that exposure, infection, and 
contamination of live animals by certain bacteria and parasites can 
result in pathogens in our meat-based foods. Further research in this 
area will enable scientists to develop methods to identify and select 
animals that are resistant to foodborne pathogens.
  Along with studying the host-pathogen relationship, it is important 
that researchers develop rapid, specific, and sensitive DNA-based 
diagnostic tests that will allow identification of pathogens in live 
animals and their production environment. By developing technologies 
and techniques that make this identification possible, we will be able 
to prevent meat and poultry contamination problems in the early stages 
of production.

  It is also very important that ARS develop on-line methodologies for 
HACCP validation. HACCP involves the systematic identification and 
prevention of safety hazards in food production processes. I applaud 
the administration's decision to implement this program and once again 
would like to emphasize the importance of the Conferee's decision to 
fully fund the Food Safety Inspection Service so that the benefits of 
HACCP can be recognized. Does the Senator agree that the three research 
areas I just described are important to the agricultural community and 
as a result deserve the funding we allocated to that purpose?
  Mr. BUMPERS. I thank the Senator from Nebraska for his question. I 
support the Conferees decision to fund research of host-pathogen 
relationships, rapid on- farm DNA-based diagnostic testing and improved 
methodologies for HACCP validation. These three areas have been 
targeted by the administration as priority research that should be 
carried out by the Agricultural Research Service, and I support that 
prioritization.
  By supporting research to elucidate the relationship between 
livestock and pathogens, we will lay the foundation for breeding 
livestock that are resistant to foodborne pathogens and developing 
effective on-farm diagnostic tests. In this manner, scientists can 
improve our food production systems in the earliest stages before the 
meat ever reaches the processor. Furthermore, effective methodologies 
for HACCP validation will help federal food safety inspectors to ensure 
that our meat and poultry is not contaminated. The Conferees sent a 
strong message that they support food safety research at the 
Agricultural Research Service and I am pleased that the bill provides 
increased funding for this purpose.

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