    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [January 25, 1997]
    [Pages 76-77]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Improving the Safety of the Nation's Food Supply
    January 25, 1997

    Memorandum for the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Health and
    Human Services, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

    Subject: Improving the Safety of the Nation's Food Supply

        Americans rightly expect to have the world's safest food supply.
    Although our food is unmatched in quantity and quality, we can do better
    in our efforts to eliminate disease caused by microorganisms and other
    contaminants. Americans still suffer thousands of food-related deaths
    and millions of food-related illnesses.
        The 21st century will present new and greater challenges in this
    area. Novel pathogens are emerging. Long-understood pathogens are
    growing resistant to treatment. Americans eat more foods prepared
    outside the home, and we consume record levels of imported food--some of
    which moves across the globe overnight. These changing circumstances
    require greatly strengthened systems of coordination, surveillance,
    prevention, research, and education.
        My Administration has already taken a number of steps to improve
    food safety. We modernized the meat, poultry, and seafood safety
    systems. I signed into law new legislation to keep harmful pesticides
    off our fruits and vegetables--and legislation that keeps our drinking
    water safe and pure. Today, I announced a new national early warning
    system for food-borne illness. The system will allow us to respond more
    quickly to disease outbreaks and to better prevent them in the future.
        But we need to do more. Government, consumers, and industry must
    work together to further reduce food-borne disease and to ensure our
    food supply is the safest in the world.
        I hereby direct that you work with consumers, producers, industry,
    States, universities, and the public to identify additional ways to
    improve the safety of our food supply through government and private
    sector action, including public-private partnerships. Your
    recommendations should identify steps to further improve surveillance,
    inspections, research, risk assessment, education, and coordination
    among local, State, and Federal health authorities. You should report
    back to me within 90 days with your recommendations.

                                                          William J. Clinton

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