Food Safety and Defense Task Force
Also known as:
Minnesota Food Safety and Defense Task Force (2005-2007)
Active dates:2005 -
Function: Enhance protection and safety of the food supply through improved communication and collaboration of key stakeholders by providing a forum for public health and food systems experts to present and discuss emerging issues and research, identify needs, provide guidance, and support training.
History:
A Food Safety Advisory Committee was established in 1990 to advise the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Legislature on food defense and safety issues. At that time, some members were mandated by statute and others were appointed by the governor.
The group changed from an "advisory committee" to a "task force" under Minn. Laws 2001, Chap. 161, Sec. 10. Membership and duties of the group remained the same.
In 2003, the task force was, with a number of other advisory groups, eliminated. However, the Commissioner and task force members believed the group's input was vital and so the Commissioner continued this group as a commissioner's task force under Chapter 15.
In 2007, the Legislature reinstated the Task Force in statute, Chapter 28A.21, as a formal appointed body to advise the commissioner and Legislature on food safety and defense issues. In 2012, the Department of Agriculture testified before a House committee on the continuance of this advisory group. As a result, the committee did not include the Food Safety and Defense Task Force in a bill (which was considered but not passed into law) that would have eliminated several advisory groups.
The Food Safety and Defense Task Force was reviewed by the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy (LCPFP) in 2013 as part of their biennial duty required by Minn. Stat. 3.885 Subd. 11. The LCPFP's 2013 Recommendations called for keeping the task force.
The task force expires June 30, 2017.
Membership:
15 members of the following backgrounds: two food professionals, one person representing a statewide farm organization, one person representing a local food inspection agency, and one person representing a food-oriented consumer group. Five members-at-large will also be appointed. An additional five members will be appointed from the following agencies: one member each from the USDA, FDA, MDA, MDH, and U of M.
Appointing Authority: Commissioner of Agriculture
Entries for this agency in the Annual Compilation and Statistical Report of Multi-Member Agencies Report:
2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005.
Note: This report provides membership details as well as meeting information and a summary of the group's activities.
Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
Documents/Articles:
News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 2008-2016.
Record last updated:
08/02/2016
All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These
materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.