[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 120 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMEMORATING IFSTL FOR ITS ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN FIGHTING TO 
                 INCREASE GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS

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                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2012

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the 
one-year anniversary of the International Food Safety Training 
Laboratory (IFSTL) at the University of Maryland. This ground-breaking 
public-private-academic partnership puts to work government, university 
and private industry resources to expand the capacity of food safety 
scientists globally.
  The global food trade has soared over the past two decades. 
Increasing public demand for international foods has resulted in global 
food exports exceeding $1 trillion per year. With changing regulations 
and technologies coupled with shrinking budgets from tough economic 
conditions, assuring food safety has become a growing challenge.
  We know how important it is for our food supply to be 100% safe. 
Americans need confidence that the food they provide their families is 
free of contamination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a big 
job to do, and the recent Food Safety Modernization Act will help them 
protect our food supply. But even with the added protections afforded 
by this law, the FDA still can't respond to the hundreds of requests 
from foreign governments to train their officials on U.S. regulatory 
standards and requirements. And the best way to ensure food safety is 
make sure the food is safe before it reaches our borders.
  The IFSTL greatly assists the FDA by training food safety scientists 
from around the world on the best food safety practices. They learn how 
to better detect food borne contamination and what they have to do to 
meet U.S. regulatory standards. This training will enable governments 
and food manufacturers to more easily detect contaminated food at 
farms, ports and manufacturing plants and it will increase compliance 
with food regulations. Over time, this will make food safer when it 
reaches our tables.
  The IFSTL also creates permanent channels of communication between 
food regulators and producers from around the world, allowing them to 
work together to identify and resolve food safety challenges. This 
supports trade between countries and enables food safety standards to 
rise across the board.
  I am proud to join IFSTL in celebrating their first of many 
anniversaries. I thank them for their work and commend their partners 
that have helped: the University of Maryland, the Joint Institute for 
Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the FDA, and Waters Corporation. 
Thank you.

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