U.S. Food and Drug Administration - April 2000 Progress and Perspective Food Safety Initiative FY '99 Annual Report

Looking to the Future

(Table of Contents)

A Message from Joseph A. Levitt
Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

As I reviewed this food safety accomplishment report for FY 99, I couldn't help but feel proud of what a productive and successful year it was. During the first year of the Food Safety Initiative (FY 98), the food safety foundation was built—programs put into place, research funded, partnerships established. In the second year, expectations were greater. We had to demonstrate that through the Food Safety Initiative, the safety of the food supply could be improved. After reading through this report, I hope you will agree with me that FDA is meeting that challenge.

Now it is time to look to the future. The year 2000 will see follow through on many important programs. These include the Egg Safety Action Plan, final regulations on juice safety and the use of new technologies to improve the safety of the foods we eat. A full listing of our 2000 program priorities can be found at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov.

In July 2000 the President's Council on Food Safety will complete a comprehensive food safety strategic plan. Developed with input from all of our stakeholders, the goal of the strategic planning process is to create a comprehensive long-range plan that addresses the steps necessary to achieve a seamless food safety system including key public health, communications, and management issues regarding food safety. The plan will be used to set priorities, improve coordination and efficiency, identify gaps in the current system and mechanisms to fill those gaps, continue to enhance and strengthen prevention and intervention strategies, and develop performance measures to show progress.

So as we look to the future, let me extend my thanks and appreciation to our many colleagues throughout the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the state and local agencies who are all working together to achieve one common goal: to improve the health of American consumers by reducing the incidence of foodborne illness.