Posted: November 14th, 2009 - 9:50am
Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Facing fierce resistance, the Obama administration on Friday backed off a plan to ban sales of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico during warm weather.
The Food and Drug Administration told lawmakers it will put the proposal on hold while it studies ways to make consumption of raw oysters more safe, according to several lawmakers.
The oyster industry — as well as Democrats and Republicans across the Gulf — blasted the plan as unnecessary government meddling. They said it could have killed a $500 million industry and thousands of jobs.
"By reversing course, the FDA has acknowledged that its original plan was unreasonable and that we need a commonsense approach to protecting the small number of at-risk consumers," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who said FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg informed her of the decision by telephone.