Food Safety

This testimony presents an overview of GAO's work on the resources available to and used by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food safety in fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Overall, the two agencies spent nearly $1 billion in fiscal year 1998 and again in fiscal year 1999 on food safety activities. In fiscal year 1999, FSIS spent $712 million to oversee more than 6,000 meat, poultry, egg product, and import establishments. FDA spent $260 million to oversee an estimated 57,000 food establishments and more than 9,000 animal drug and feed establishments, in addition to ensuring the safety of FDA-regulated imported foods. Fiscal year 1998 expenditures for both agencies were similar to 1999 expenditures.

GAO noted that: (1) FSIS and FDA in aggregate expended almost $1 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1998 and again in FY 1999 on food safety activities; (2) in FY 1999, FSIS expended about $712 million, of which 16 percent was for headquarters activities and 84 percent for field activities associated with overseeing more than 6,000 meat, poultry, egg product and import establishments; (3) FDA expended about $260 million on food safety activities in FY 1999, of which 44 percent was for headquarters activities and 56 percent for field activities associated with overseeing an estimated 57,000 food establishments and over 9,000 animal drug and feed establishments, and ensuring the safety of FDA-regulated imported foods; and (4) GAO found similar expenditures for FSIS and FDA in FY 1998.