United Fresh Produce Association President and CEO Tom Stenzel testified today before the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, as part of a hearing to address food traceability systems and to discuss a report of mock tracebacks released today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General.

"Congress continues to view food safety reform as a top policy priority this year," Stenzel said.  "With the hundreds of recalls related to the peanut paste outbreak the past several months, traceability of all foods and food ingredients is now at the center of this Congressional debate.  I’m pleased that Congress recognizes the produce industry’s strong voice in these deliberations, and we have a very good story to tell in produce traceability.  I also look forward to discussing with the Committee how we can use the findings of the Inspector General’s report to enhance our current abilities."

In his testimony before the Subcommittee, Stenzel highlighted current one-up, one-down traceability practices in the produce industry, and called on Congress to support industry efforts with the new Produce Traceability Initiative launched last year to drive streamlined whole-chain traceability based on common standards for case coding across the entire industry. 

"As you weigh various traceability provisions of all the food safety bills under consideration by Congress, I ask you to look at the unique aspects of tracking bulk fresh produce," Stenzel said.  "We are likely to find that overly prescriptive mandates from the top down are not as likely to be effective as bottom up efficiencies and systems designed for unique challenges.  That’s what we believe we have achieved in the Produce Traceability Initiative.  I ask the Committee to support our efforts in this regard, and allow industry innovation similar to what I’ve shared here to flourish.  We suggest that Congress should set the goal, not mandate the process."

A full transcript of Stenzel’s testimony can be found here.