    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 2, 1997]
    [Pages 1285-1286]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on the Food Safety Initiative
    October 2, 1997

    Memorandum for the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary
    of Agriculture

    Subject: Initiative to Ensure the Safety of Imported and Domestic Fruits
    and Vegetables

        American consumers today enjoy the safest food supply in the world,
    and I am proud of my Administration's record in this area. We have taken
    significant steps to ensure that we maintain the safest food possible.
    We have put in place improved safety standards for meat, poultry, and
    seafood products, and we have begun the process of developing enhanced
    safety standards for fruit and vegetable juices. We have also expanded
    research, education, and surveillance activities through coordinated
    efforts of all agencies involved in food safety issues. Together, these
    measures will greatly improve the safety of the Nation's food supply.
        We need to build on these efforts, and today I ask you to do so by
    focusing on the safety of fruits and vegetables. Although the produce
    Americans eat is very safe, we can and must do even better, especially
    at a time when Americans are eating more fruits and vegetables from all
    over the world. Last year, 38 percent of the fruit and 12 percent of the
    vegetables consumed by Americans came from overseas. We

    [[Page 1286]]

    must ensure that fruits and vegetables coming from abroad are as safe as
    those produced in the United States, especially as we upgrade our own
    domestic standards.
        To help accomplish this task, I plan to send to the Congress
    proposed legislation that will require the Food and Drug Administration
    (FDA) to halt imports of fruits, vegetables, or other food from any
    foreign country whose food safety systems and standards are not on par
    with those of the United States. This legislation, which will be similar
    to existing law requiring the USDA to halt the importation of meat and
    poultry from such countries, will enable the FDA to prevent the
    importation of potentially unsafe foreign produce. My Fiscal Year 1999
    budget will provide the necessary funds to enable the FDA to expand
    dramatically its international food inspection force. With this greatly
    increased ability to inspect food safety conditions abroad and at points
    of entry, the FDA will be able to determine when to halt the importation
    of fruits and vegetables from foreign countries.
        Today, I hereby direct two administrative actions that will better
    ensure the safety of fruits and vegetables coming from abroad, while
    continuing to improve the safety of domestic produce.
        First, I direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
    partnership with the Secretary of Agriculture and in close cooperation
    with the agricultural community, to issue within 1 year from the date of
    this memorandum, guidance on good agricultural practices and good
    manufacturing practices for fruits and vegetables. This guidance should
    address ways to prevent potential sources of contamination, should take
    into account differences in both crops and regions, and should address
    food safety issues throughout the food production and distribution
    system. By providing the first-ever specific safety standards for fruits
    and vegetables, the guidance will improve the agricultural and
    manufacturing practices of all those seeking to sell produce in the U.S.
    market. To ensure that this guidance has the widest possible effect, I
    also direct the development of coordinated outreach and educational
    activities.
        Second, I direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
    Secretary of Agriculture, to report back to me within 90 days from the
    date of this memorandum with a status report and complete schedule for
    the good agricultural and manufacturing practices, and a plan on how to
    improve the monitoring of agricultural and manufacturing practices
    abroad, to assist foreign countries to improve those practices where
    necessary, and to prevent the importation of unsafe produce, including
    by detecting unsafe food at the dock or border. I especially urge you to
    consider the best ways to target inspection and testing toward those
    areas where problems are most likely to occur.
        In addition to taking these actions, you should accelerate whatever
    food safety research is necessary to support them. You should also call
    upon the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, and
    other agencies as necessary, to provide you with assistance in achieving
    this goal. These steps, taken together and in coordination with the
    proposed legislation I will send to the Congress, will improve the
    safety of fruits and vegetables for all Americans.

                                                          William J. Clinton