Bill Text: NJ AR100 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges United States Department of Agriculture to declare Salmonella strain that causes human illness an adulterant.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-05 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee [AR100 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR100-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Urges United States Department of Agriculture to declare Salmonella strain that causes human illness an adulterant.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the United States Department of Agriculture to declare any Salmonella strain that causes human illness an adulterant.
Whereas, Salmonella is a group of bacteria responsible for the most frequently reported cause of foodborne illness; and
Whereas, Salmonella is typically passed from the feces of people or animals to other people and animals, primarily through food; and
Whereas, Any raw food of animal origin is at risk of causing illness if not cooked to a safe internal minimum temperature and may contaminate other foods it comes into contact with; and
Whereas, Certain strains of Salmonella cause severe illness, known as salmonellosis, in humans, leading to hospitalizations and, in some cases, death; and
Whereas, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that Salmonella cause an estimated 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths annually in the United States; and
Whereas, The presence of Salmonella strains that cause illness in the food supply represents a serious public health concern; and
Whereas, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products in the United States; and
Whereas, The USDA currently recognizes certain strains of E. coli as adulterants in raw ground beef and confirms that these strains should not be present in consumable food products; and
Whereas, The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has also declared Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed raw chicken products; and
Whereas, A consistent and comprehensive approach to food safety should be applied across pathogens that cause human illness; and
Whereas, The declaration of any Salmonella strain that causes human illness as an adulterant would enable stricter regulatory actions to prevent contaminated products from reaching consumers, thereby reducing the number of infections and enhancing public health; and
Whereas, Such a declaration would align with the public interest in protecting the health and well-being of all New Jersey residents and the citizens of the United States as a whole; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The General Assembly of the State of New Jersey respectfully urges the United States Department of Agriculture to declare any strain of Salmonella that causes human illness an adulterant.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate; the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives; and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare any strain of Salmonella that causes human illness as an adulterant. The State of New Jersey emphasizes its dedication to the health and well-being of its residents and the pivotal role of food safety in upholding this commitment. Given the public health implications of Salmonella, which leads to an estimated 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 400 deaths annually in the United States, the presence of this pathogen in food products is of grave concern.
The USDA is tasked with ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products in the United States. While the USDA has taken steps to address the risk of Salmonella in certain raw chicken products, this resolution strongly urges more uniform and comprehensive action. By categorizing any strain of Salmonella that causes human illness as an adulterant, the USDA would be taking a significant step toward reducing the distribution of contaminated food and further safeguarding public health.
