United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-05-25 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-RCED-94-223 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223 P0b002ee18038fae7 f:trc94223 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223 T-RCED-94-223 Food supply Food inspection Safety regulation Federal agency reorganization Agricultural products Contaminated foods Consumer protection Food and drug law Law enforcement Interagency relations FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System Testimony RCED The nation's food safety system hampers efforts to address public health concerns and is slow to respond to changing health risks. To resolve long-standing problems and guarantee the safety of the food supply, a single food safety agency administering a uniform set of laws should be created. The existing system is characterized by inconsistent and inflexible oversight and enforcement authorities, inefficient resources use, and ineffective coordination. The adoption of a risk-based approach to inspection could lead to safer products and reduced costs as scarce resources are targeted to high-risk areas. Given the problems associated with establishing a new agency, consolidating food safety responsibilities under an existing department is a more likely scenario, although such an option has its own drawbacks. The Agriculture Department has conflicting interests that undermine public confidence in the government's ability to ensure food safety, and the Food and Drug Administration's food safety program is fraught with serious problems that must be addressed before it is given additional responsibilities. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223/html/GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223.htm GAO/T-RCED-94-223 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-RCED-94-223 Testimony GAO/T-RCED-94-223; Food Safety: A Unified, Risk-Based Food Safety System Needed; Food supply Food inspection Safety regulation Federal agency reorganization Agricultural products Contaminated foods Consumer protection Food and drug law Law enforcement Interagency relations FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System