As speculation swirls around who will become USDA's next Food Safety and Inspection Service under secretary, Bill Marler confirms he's applied for the position—a surprising move for an attorney who built his career suing food companies but also consults globally on litigation prevention, including with ConAgra Foods. Marler outlines his agenda: tax incentives to encourage companies to invest in contamination-prevention technology, overhauling inspection protocols that produce "pages of NRs" with little value in determining contamination, and vigorous testing to validate HACCP plans. "I think you really have to look at whether or not the amount of money we're spending and how we're spending that money in inspection makes the most bang for the buck," he states.
On consumer education, Marler offers a stark comparison: "I've got three kids. I can't get in the car without my kids going, 'Put your seat belt on!' Yet my 16-year-old daughter has never had a class in school about how to cook anything." He advocates for public acceptance of irradiation and honest industry communication about bacterial contamination risks. Reflecting on outbreak patterns: "In every food-borne illness outbreak, there are always multiple breakdowns in the chain of distribution to the consumer. It's never one thing."
From The New York Times to CNN, Bill is trusted by lawyers for his expertise on food safety.
