SAFETY STANDARDS AND LABELING LAWS—With the public facing problems with the nation’s food safety, OSPIRG is working to make sure states have the right to set high standards for safety and labeling. Photo: Getty Images

Last year, food-borne E. Coli outbreaks caused by contaminated spinach heightened the country’s awareness of food safety laws. Incredibly, Congress was at that time considering legislation that would roll back food safety protections at the behest of the food manufacturers lobby.

As this newsletter goes to print, our coalition is working in the Senate to stop the attacks on our food safety protections, and calling on senators to oppose the so-called National Uniformity for Food Act, and any other bill that would take away the rights of states to protect people from dangerous substances in food.

If passed, the act would eliminate proven food safety and labeling standards that are more protective than federal standards, even when the federal government has no regulation on the books.

For instance, states currently have the right to post warnings to pregnant women and parents about the significant risks to the brains of fetuses and young children from high levels of mercury in certain kinds of fish. States would lose this power if the bill went into effect. A PIRG-led coalition of state and local food safety officials and 39 Attorneys General oppose the bill.

Our advocates will continue to work during the 110th Congress to stop the assaults on our food safety protections.