Posted: May 1st, 2012 - 12:05pm
Source: New York Times

While the first lady, Michelle Obama, champions the issue of healthy food, the rest of the administration does not seem to have gotten the message. There are now three important food issues on hold. And health and nutrition advocates worry that they are stalled for the election season, or longer, because of pushback from the food industry. Here is what needs to move along:
• The Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law by President Obama in January 2011, was designed to shift the focus of federal regulators from reacting to deadly outbreaks — like last summer’s listeria-tainted cantaloupe — to preventing them. The legislation would require new safety plans from food companies, better standards for fresh produce, and more vigilance from importers and inspectors. The most vital rules were due on Jan. 4, but the Office of Management and Budget has still not published the drafts for public comment.