“In his weekly address Saturday, President Barack Obama announced top Food and Drug Administration appointments and tougher food-safety rules. He also said he’s setting up a Food Safety Working Group, seeking advice from cabinet secretaries and senior officials on strengthening food safety laws, improving coordination among government agencies and enforcing food safety laws. Here is the news release and text of the address released by the White House;” stated The Wall Street Journal.

As of yesterday, a new policy has been introduced that labels on most fresh meats, along with some fruits, vegetables and other foods, will now list where the food originated.  As for meats, in some cases some labels will list where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered.

The President formed a new Food Safety Working Group, that will focus on reviewing, updating, and enforcing food safety laws, which the President stated “have not been updated since they were written in the time of Teddy Roosevelt.”

The President also described the current state of government inspections “unacceptable” and “a hazard to public health.”

The President closed his speech with:

“In the end, food safety is something I take seriously, not just as your president, but as a parent.  Protecting the safety of our food and drugs is one of the most fundamental responsibilities government has, and, with the outstanding team I am announcing today, it is a responsibility that I intend to uphold in the months and years to come.”

jmtimages/Flickr