FSIS is pursuing a broad and long-term 
science-based strategy to improve the safety 
of meat and poultry products and to better 
protect public health. FSIS is undertaking a 
farm-to-table approach by improving the 
safety of meat and poultry at each step in the 
food production, processing, distribution, 
and marketing chain. These steps are 
designed to focus more attention on the risk 
of microbial contamination, the Nation’s 
most significant food safety problem. The 
agency’s goal is to reduce contamination as 
much as possible by setting public health- 
oriented standards for pathogenic microor- 
ganisms, building the principle of prevention 
into the production and inspection 
processes, and fostering the development 
and use of new technology. 
In addition to a number of inplant improve- 
ments, FSIS is working closely with the Food 
and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure 
food safety at the retail level and to establish 
Federal standards for the safe handling of 
food during transportation, distribution, and 
storage. 
Food and Drug Administration 
FDA, an agency of the U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services, is responsible 
for ensuring that foods are safe, wholesome, 
and sanitary. Products regulated by FDA that 
are made in other countries but sold here 
must meet the same standards as foods, 
drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices manu- 
factured domestically. 
The rapidly increasing activity of interna- 
tional and other organizations in developing 
product and process standards and the rise 
in number of imports of FDA-regulated prod- 
ucts into the United States have helped to 
focus the agency’s attention on its interna- 
tional role. FDA can better fulfill its mandate 
to protect and promote the public health by 
collaborating and cooperating with its for- 
eign regulatory counterparts and interna- 
tional standards-setting organizations to 
facilitate the compliance by imported prod- 
ucts with FDA standards. Given the increase 
in imports, FDA is continually seeking ways 
to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of 
its international inspection, technical coop- 
eration, and standardization efforts. 
By clearly explaining to all nations and firms 
that import FDA-regulated products into the 
United States their requirements, FDA facili- 
tates the importation of products that meet 
these requirements and discourages the 
admittance of those that do not. FDA helps 
foreign and domestic manufacturers under- 
stand how to comply with FDA's guidelines 
for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, 
Good Clinical Practice, and Good Laboratory 
Practice, and Procedures for the Safe and 
Sanitary Processing and Importing of Fish 
and Fishery Products, and other regulations. 
International activities take place in virtually 
every part of the agency. Most FDA centers 
and offices have established contact points 
dedicated to enhancing FDA interactions 
with foreign governments, industry, and 
international organizations. 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Another Federal agency that works with 
international trade issues, frequently in con- 
junction with APHIS, is the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS). FWS, which is a part 
of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the 
principal Federal agency responsible for con- 
serving, protecting, and enhancing fish, 
wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the 
continuing benefit of the American people. 
The Service manages 520 National Wildlife 
Refuges on 93 million acres and thousands 
of small wetlands and other special manage- 
ment areas. FWS also operates 66 national 
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices, 
and 78 ecological services field stations. 
PEA ee 
It takes a team of 
dedicated Federal 
agencies, of which 
APHIS is a part, 
to keep America 
competitive in 
the international 
trade arena. 
Federal Agency Cooperation in World Trade Activities 5 
