Minnesota Agencies

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.

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" in 2001, but membership and duties of the group remained the same (see Laws of Minnesota 2001, chapter 161, section 10).

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 Minn. Stat. chap. 15. 

In 2007, the Legislature formally reinstated the Task Force (see Minn. Stat. 28A.21), as an appointed body to advise the commissioner of agriculture and the 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, 2037.

The Food Safety and Defense Task Force consists of:

• the commissioner of agriculture or the commissioner's designee;
• the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee;
• a representative of the United States Food and Drug Administration;
• a representative of the United States Department of Agriculture;
• a representative of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute;
• one member of the Minnesota Grocers Association;
• one member from the University of Minnesota knowledgeable in food and food safety issues; and
• ten members appointed by the governor who are interested in food and food safety, of whom:
  • two persons are health or food professionals;
  • one person represents a statewide general farm organization;
  • one person represents a local food inspection agency;
  • one person represents a food-oriented consumer group;
  • one person represents a Minnesota-based manufacturer of microbial detection equipment and remediation products; and
  • one person is knowledgeable in cybersecurity.

Members shall serve without compensation. Members appointed by the governor shall serve four-year terms.