Food safety labs may not have capacity to handle a crisis like Japan's

By Aaron Mehta and Laurel Adams

IG criticizes agencies charged with protecting American food safety as unprepared and understaffed

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… .The Department of Agriculture inspector general found that while the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has provided training, equipment, and e …"

"… she told Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.Additional cuts include $10 million from USDA’s meat and poultry inspection budget.Last month the Center reported  …"

80 economic development programs in four agencies; why?

By Laurel Adams

GAO: economic development duplication still rampant among four agencies spending $6.2 billion

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… ke programs more efficient.In response to GAO recommendations, the SBA and USDA agreed to provide small businesses in rural areas with loan guarantees and …"

"… reas with loan guarantees and technical assistance. In addition, HUD, SBA, USDA and Commerce formed an agreement to focus on services in the Appalachian r …"

"… c development programs and make them a target of budget cuts. For example, USDA does not collect data to measure the results of its business and industry …"

Green bundler with the golden touch

By Ronnie Greene and Matthew Mosk

Investor Steve Westly straddles the worlds of venture capital, presidential fundraising and government advising

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… r adoption of new technologies.“This is the sort of conflict the DOE and USDA and other agencies run into when they take a step — which I think is a g …"

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USDA audit says E. coli testing in ground beef is flawed

By Aaron Mehta

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in charge of keeping the potentially lethal E. coli bacteria out of your food, has concluded its own tes

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… e from an audit released Monday by the Inspector General’s office of the USDA. It warns that the current sampling method “is not designed to yield the …"

"… seen by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).Phyllis K. Fong, the USDA Inspector General, has warned that, in situations where E. coli is present …"

"… 7 in beef trim, the more tests we will need to conduct to find it."Despite USDA’s pledge, in the wake of the findings, to explore new methods of inspect …"

USDA is inconsistent in testing food headed for school cafeterias

By Laurel Adams

USDA testing is uneven for produce, meats sent to school meals program

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… cases, applies stricter safety standards than the commercial industry.The USDA’s school meal program helps provide low-cost or free meals to more than …"

"… million children a day at over 100,000 schools.  In recent years, the USDA has purchased over $1 billion worth of food annually that it offers free t …"

"… rough an informal process, consulting with a variety of experts, which the USDA failed to document. “Questions remain regarding whether the program …"

"… raw boneless or ground beef that tests positive for E. coli O157:H7, while USDA regulations allow such beef to be sold if it is cooked first.The school me …"

Lack of contract oversight puts billions at risk

By Laurel Adams

Federal agencies are increasingly reliant on contractors but many struggle to manage them and therefore expose billions in taxpayer dollars

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… od. The company owner will pay $15 million and faces two years in prison. (USDA Inspector General) …"

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Stimulus-funded USDA loan program lent to ineligible borrowers

By Laurel Adams

Roughly $10 billion in Recovery Act funds went to guarantee housing loans in rural areas, but an audit shows the program lent to a high numb

GAO: 15 agencies in charge of 30 food-related laws

By Laurel Adams

The haphazard government approach to food safety remains a roadblock to a cohesive national strategy on food regulation....

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… sets quality standards for eggs, but does not test them for bacteria. The USDA also inspects laying hens at birth to ensure they are salmonella-free, but …"

"… ot change the current safety structure. In particular, it does not address USDA’s responsibilities. The USDA is responsible for meat, poultry, processed …"

"… ructure. In particular, it does not address USDA’s responsibilities. The USDA is responsible for meat, poultry, processed egg products, and catfish, whi …"

Farm subsidies still missing from USDA’s data-rich website

By Jim Morris

The Agriculture Department says it makes farm subsidy data available to anyone who asks, but turning the data into something useful is tedio

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… tories.EWG’s herculean efforts aside, it seems reasonable to ask why the USDA doesn’t make the subsidy data available in a user-friendly form on its o …"

"… sts, livestock slaughter, and food price inflation. Pressed on the matter, USDA spokesman Caleb Weaver wrote in an e-mail that the agency “will continue …"

"… at: Farm subsidy payments made by the U.S. Department of AgricultureWhere: USDA, Washington, D.C.Availability: Released under FOIAFormat: Colon delimited …"

FDA lags USDA in accessible food safety data

By Jim Morris

Recent outbreaks of food-borne illness left American consumers on edge — and largely in the dark about federal enforcement. The Food and Dru

Excerpts from this story referencing "USDA":

"… d inspection responsibilities with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA inspects meat, poultry and some egg products while the FDA monitors everyt …"

"… ucts while the FDA monitors everything else. Food-safety advocates say the USDA is more forthcoming about its inspection activities and are prodding the F …"

"… ne has made a Freedom of Information Act request, Corbo said. He cited the USDA’s page on Foreign Audit Reports as an example of what the FDA should be …"

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