Florida companies and organizations are key backers of a stalled federal bill to improve food safety that's gaining more support in the wake of this month's massive egg recall.
The bill, stuck in the Senate after having passed the House, would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to recall and better track potentially contaminated foods, increase inspections and toughen penalties.
Orlando-based Darden Restaurants ?a owner of Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other brands ?a and Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets have lobbied for the bill, according to disclosure reports.
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, based in Maitland, backs the bill because "the public's confidence in fresh fruits and vegetables is critically important," spokeswoman Lisa Lochridge said.
"It's not surprising that this is going to push the issue back to the front burner," Lochridge said. "Anytime there's a food scare, the debate's going to come up again."
Smaller farmers have concerns about the bill putting too much of a burden on them, which bill sponsors have tried to address by creating flexibility on deadlines and some exemptions for small businesses. Flexibility is important, Lochridge said, though the basic protections must apply to everyone regardless of size.
A microbe, she said, is "not going to choose a 150-acre farm over a 5-acre farm."
Despite its support, the bill has had slow going in the Senate. A heavy agenda that has included health-care reform and hearings on the Gulf oil spill has slowed a vote on the bill, supporters said.
Florida Republican Sen. George LeMieux and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said they are in favor of the measure.
"The law governing food safety is more than 70 years old. The current egg recall underscores the need to reform our food safety protocols,'' LeMieux said in an e-mail.
Nelson added, "There's no reason the government isn't doing more to make sure consumers don't get sick from the food they buy. The House passed legislation requiring tougher inspections of food facilities, and I'd like to see the Senate do likewise."
The salmonella outbreak that originated at two Iowa egg producers has sickened hundreds of people and led to the recall of hundreds of millions of eggs. Florida officials say the Sunshine State has not been affected by it.
The producers, Hillandale Farms of Iowa Inc. and Wright County Egg Farms, voluntarily recalled the eggs beginning Aug. 13.
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