I’m off to Washington D.C. on Monday to attend the following hearing.  I was there in January pitching hearings on the safety (or lack of it) of our food supply.  I posted on January 5, 2007.  I am working on my written testimony and hope to post it here either later tonight or Monday.  Despite thirteen years of foodborne illness experience, the Committee staff felt that having a lawyer for victims testify would make some of the Republican Committee Members upset.  So, I’ll be proud to have my clients testify instead.

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

MEDIA ADVISORY:

Oversight and Investigations
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled “A Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation’s Food Supply?”

This hearing is part of the Committee’s broader investigation into the safety of our nation’s food supply and the declining ability of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct inspections and perform laboratory analysis. The hearing will focus on the recent contamination of pet food, peanut butter and spinach. Witnesses will include victims of food borne illnesses resulting from the outbreaks as well as representatives from the companies responsible for producing the contaminated products.

WITNESS LIST

Panel I

Dole Spinach E. coli Outbreak
Ms. Elizabeth Armstrong
Accompanied by Ashley and Isabella Armstrong
Indiana

Taco Bell E. coli Outbreak
Mr. Gary Pruden
Accompanied by Sean Pruden
Pennsylvania

Peter Pan Salmonella Outbreak
Ms. Terri Marshall
Louisiana

Panel II

Dr. Anthony DeCarlo
Red Bank Veterinary Hospital
Mr. Charles Sweat
President
Natural Selection Foods

Mr. Paul K. Henderson
Chief Executive Officer
Menu Foods Income Fund

Ms. Lisa Shames
Acting Director
Natural Resources and Environment
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Panel III

Mr. David Colo
Senior Vice President – Manufacturing
ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Mr. Stephen S. Miller
Chief Executive Officer
ChemNutra, Inc.