FDA Budget Sees Slight Increase for Food Safety and Recall Management

By Mike Rozembajgier

Congress has voted a $50 million budget increase for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to help the agency implement its expanded authority, including increased recall management oversight, under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). As Congress continues to look for ways to trim budgets, a number of federal agencies are facing deep cuts. The expanded budget for implementation of the FSMA is a reminder that food safety oversight remains a top priority for federal regulators.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has now approved discretionary funding for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSAIS), and the FDA for fiscal year 2012. The USDA saw a $138 million decrease in funding, while the FDA got a small increase. Overall, FDA spending for fiscal year 2012 will increase two percent, to almost $2.5 billion. FSIS received the same budget as last yea, slightly more than $1 billion. Even with these increases, the federal agencies responsible for maintaining the safety of the food supply have very limited resources to deal with increasingly complex challenges.

As for other agencies that face budget cuts, Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) said, “[T]hese cuts are real and are difficult to implement, but that is the will of this Congress and the charter of this committee.”

Still, consumer safety advocates are pleased that the FDA was spared the budgetary axe that fell on many other agencies. “We are grateful for Senate leadership to assure that FDA has the funds to continue its mission,” said Nancy Bradish Myers, president of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA and president of Catalyst Healthcare Consulting, in a statement following the Appropriations Committee announcement.

As the FDA assumes responsibility for the increasingly high levels of imported food supplies the United States receives each year, the risk of massive recalls due to food borne illness or contamination remain high.  With the USDA forced to accept a smaller budget and FSMA yet to be fully implemented, companies involved in the production and processing of food products must be very careful to mitigate any risks that might lead to a recall.

With budgets set expected to remain tight for the foreseeable future, manufacturers must realize that activist groups will continue to keep a close eye on consumer safety issues and do what they can to identify any oversight gaps that may appear as FDA, USDA and FSIS struggle to meet increased responsibilities with limited funds.

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