Food industry bitten by its lobbying success

WASHINGTON - One of the worst outbreaks of foodborne illness in the U.S. is teaching the food industry the truth of the adage, "Be careful what you wish for because you might get it." In this Feb. 2, 2007 file photo, Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson speaks at a political forum in Henderson, Nev. Thompson had pushed to increase the number of food safety inspections, and is now part of a coalition lobbying to increase the FDA budget and turn around several years of stagnant spending on food. Thompson has acknowledged he had to compromise when the food industry opposed tough food tracing and record-keep... The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to... [read full story]