WASHINGTON - USA Today highlighted hiccups in the Food Safety Modernization Act (Act), which has yet to implement new food safety regulations nearly 17 months after President Obama signed the law.

The law moves the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) into a proactive role, allowing the agency to issue mandatory recalls and hire more safety inspectors in an effort to reduce the incidents of food contamination.

But according to USA Today, "the new law hasn??t gotten out of the starting gate," with regulations addressing implementation awaiting approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Three of the Act??s most important rules awaiting approval are:

• Safety standards for irrigation water, manure, worker hygiene and wildlife that can contaminate fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Foreign supplier verification programs.
• Requirements that food companies have a contamination identification plan.

The OMB is authorized to review new rules for three months and can extend the review period for an additional month. These three rules have been at OMB for more than seven months.

OMB spokesperson Moira Macks said public safety regulations can require more review time than has been allocated. "The administration is working as expeditiously as possible to implement this legislation we fought so hard for. When it comes to rules with this degree of importance and complexity, it is critical that we get it right," she said.

As a result of the delays, food safety advocates are frustrated.

"There is no good reason for this delay," said Erik Olson, director of food programs with the Pew Health Group. "What's important is that these new protections of our food supply be put into place as soon as possible to protect all Americans from getting sick from contaminated food."

Both the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Produce Marketing Association have encouraged the Obama administration to publish the draft rules.