the rise of china, brazil, indonesia, and turkey, lots of countries emerging outside the western system, we are having to focus more on questions other than ourselves. >> any tensions that have been reported on between the countries? >> i >> i think the problem has been overstated. i think that merkel has not been the strong leader that obama is looking for. but if you say are there deep and fundamental divides in outlook between the united states and germany, i think the answer is no. when merkel makes it through this tough patch, i think she will probably re-emerge as the strong leader that she was before and the strong leader that both europe needs and the united states would like to see emerge. >> charles kupchan, thank you for talking to our viewers tonight.

all of talk's events can be found on our website along with the menu and the guests that attended tonight's state dinner. c-span.org and all of the highlights will reair saturday night, 8:00 p.m. eastern time on c-span. now we'll bring you to the news conference between the two leaders from earlier today. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states and the chancellor of the federal republic of germany.

>> good morning again. it is an honor to welcome my good friend and partner chancellor merkel back to the white house. we had a wonderful dinner last night, one on one -- although, as you saw again this morning, angela's english is much better than my german. michelle and i are very much looking forward to hosting the chancellor and professor sauer at tonight's state dinner, where i'll have the privilege of presenting angela with the medal of freedom. as i said earlier, germany is one of our strongest allies. we see our partnership in the drive of our workers and businesses who sustain the largest trade relationships in the world.

we see it in the students and teachers, the scientists and researchers who are unlocking new innovations, including the clean, renewable energy sources that we need to combat climate change and create the industries of the future. we see our partnership in the courage of our service members who stand shoulder to shoulder in afghanistan -- where germans serve under americans and americans serve under germans. chancellor merkel, i want to thank you and the german people for your strong commitment to this vital mission, and our hearts go out to the wounded warriors and all the families, american and german and others, whose loved ones have given their lives to keep us safe. we remember and honor them all. we see our partnership in the skill of our diplomats who prevent the spread of deadly weapons and stand up for democracy in europe and beyond; and in the passion of our development experts as they work

to avert suffering in countries like sudan. this is the essence of our alliance -- two peoples, bound by common values and committed to the security, the prosperity, and the dignity not just of our own citizens, but those far beyond our borders. and that's also the essence of my partnership with chancellor merkel. angela, i believe this is our tenth meeting together. that doesn't include the many phone calls and video conferences that we seem to have at all hours of the day and night. there's hardly any global issue where we don't consult one another. i've said before i always value angela's pragmatic approach to complex issues, her intelligence, her frankness. i trust her. and as she's said herself, it's just fun to work together. and it has been, again, fun today, even as we've addressed some very urgent challenges. germany is one of our largest trading partners, and we

discussed how to keep our economies growing and create the jobs that our people need. as angela mentioned in her remarks at the opening ceremony, hundreds of thousands of american jobs are supported by our exports to germany; hundreds of thousands of americans work for german companies that have chosen to invest in america. i'm pleased that billions of dollars more in german investment is making possible new plants -- steel in alabama, manufacturing in tennessee -- all of which go to create thousands of new american jobs. the chancellor and i discussed the need to eliminate regulations and barriers so we can unleash even more trade and investment, including in the area of electric vehicles, where both our countries are leaders and where the possibilities of american-german cooperation are enormous. and of course, i very much appreciated the chancellor's views on the financial situation in europe, which we agree cannot be allowed to put the global economic recovery at risk.

with regard to security, we discussed our progress in afghanistan, where we've broken the taliban's momentum, trained afghan forces, and are now preparing to turn a corner in our efforts. we're scheduled to begin the transition to afghan lead. and i reiterated that we'll begin reducing american forces this summer, even as we join with germany and our nato allies in supporting afghans in their political and economic efforts to forge a lasting peace. i thanked the chancellor for her support for the principles that i laid out last month as the basis for negotiations between israelis and palestinians. and i want to commend angela for her personal efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table. just as we agree that both sides will need to make difficult choices, we agree that unilateral actions -- such as palestinians seeking a vote on statehood at the u.n. general assembly -- should be avoided. we agreed that iran's continuing nuclear program, and its refusal to engage in any meaningful talks with the international

community, remain a very serious concern. so we agreed that if the international atomic energy agency this week determines again that iran is continuing to ignore its international obligations, then we will have no choice but to consider additional steps, including potentially additional sanctions, to intensify the pressure on the iranian regime. finally, we discussed the historic changes underway in north africa and the middle east. with regard to libya, i'd note that germany's deployment of additional resources and personnel to afghanistan has allowed other nato allies to increase their support for the mission to protect the libyan people. the chancellor and i have been clear -- gaddafi must step down and hand power to the libyan people, and the pressure will only continue to increase until he does. and following our agreement with our g8 partners in deauville, the chancellor and i discussed our support for political and economic reform across the middle east and north africa, especially in tunisia and

egypt. the united states and germany are the two largest donors of assistance -- largest donors of assistance to the region, and we agree that this historic moment must not be squandered. along with the entire world, we have an enormous stake in seeing that these transitions to democracy succeed. and given the chancellor's own remarkable life story -- and her experience helping to heal the wounds of the past and build a united germany -- i very much appreciate her leadership and her partnership in this effort. so, again, i'm very grateful to the chancellor for being here. i'm confident that the great alliance between our nations is going to remain an indispensable pillar of a world that's more secure and more prosperous and more just. and i very much appreciate the personal friendship that i enjoy with the chancellor. so, angela. >> well, ladies and gentlemen, mr. president, dear barack, i

would like to use this opportunity to thank you most warmly for this wonderful reception. i'm saying this also on behalf of the members of my delegation. this reception i say to the white house is welcome that i see as a testimony of our very close friendship, of our partnership. if we remind ourselves of the fact that every fifth american today rightly points and perhaps also with a certain degree of pride to his german ancestry or her german ancestry, we can safely say that we, indeed, share common roots. and if we look at the names that loom large in american history, frederick steuben, but many leading leaders of the german -- of the american business community, guggenheim, steinway, strauss, singer -- all of these german names. so that is a broad foundation on which we can build. and we are still grateful that so many germans found asylum and

a safe place to live during the second world war in the united states. we have a broad-based exchange of students. we have cooperation in science. we work in air and space with the iss. we share a lot of successes. i mentioned the 50,000 soldiers -- american soldiers -- that are present today in germany are very welcome, indeed, in my country. let me say this on a personal note. without the united states of america, i would in all probably not be able to stand here before you today. overcoming the cold war required courage from the people of central and eastern europe and what was then the german democratic republic, but it also required the steadfastness of western partner over many decades when many had long lost hope of integration of the two germanys and europe. many perhaps didn't even want this anymore. but the then-president george herbert walker bush said german

unity, european unity, is indeed something that deserves our support. so there are a lot of tasks that we have in common, a lot of challenges that we need to meet together. we're doing this in this spirit of freedom, of shared values. we want to bring these values to bear on the international agenda. we're dealing and -- ever since the month of january with these issues, the arab spring in syria, in tunisia, in egypt, in libya. that is a very great challenge. but if i remember -- let me take you back perhaps to the period after the second world war when, through the marshall plan, germany was able to get back on its feet again. i see this also as our common task, as a task of the europeans and of the americans and the germans to support this change, to make it possible for these young people to have a perspective for the future. we talked about this. we talked about germany in particular with its experience and vocational training schemes, offering an alliance for jobs,

for training and education. we're working together with the egyptians and the tunisians on this with our foundations. building up institutions, for example, is something that we want to do. i said that we after all opened up an office in benghazi that will serve as a clearinghouse for training schemes, for example, for the security forces, the police there on the ground, and we will also, through an additional commitment to afghanistan, lend a contribution to mastering the common challenges. we talked about economic issues in the g20. we worked very closely together, and i believe we have been able to make a lot of progress there and be successful. the situation in the euro group in europe obviously is also of very great interest over here. finance ministers talked about these issues, but we, too, talked about this at some length. and i said, yet again, for germany, europe is not only indispensable, it is part and

parcel of our identity. we've always said german unity, european unity and integration, that's two parts of one and the same coin. but we want, obviously, to boost our competitiveness. we are very much aware -- very well aware of the fact -- both of us, i think -- that we are in a tough competition with the emerging economies. so europe needs to be competitive and we also need to be competitive if we wish to remain an interesting economic partner for the united states. this has to be done on the basis of strength, of competitiveness. so this is why the germans are pursuing a policy of a competitive europe, and this is -- and it is also an approach of solidarity, so we need to show solidarity to the countries that need it, but they also need to come to enhance competitiveness. we talked about the middle east peace process. i think this was a very important initiative to point out yet again that the united states of america, just as germany and the european union, wish to promote a further development of the peace process.

we're saying this to both countries: we want a two-state solution. we want a jewish state of israel and alongside a independent palestinian state. unilateral measures are not helping at all to bring about this cause, and we agree that we wish to cooperate very closely on this, because as we both say, time is of the essence. and looking at the changes in the arab area and the arab region, it would be a very good signal indeed if it came out that talks between the parties are again possible. the commitment we take in afghanistan shows that we're very close. we're very grateful for the close cooperation in the north of afghanistan; that has turned out excellently. we share the opinion that in afghanistan we wish to approach an -- the matters in the sense of an integrated security approach, a network security approach. it was said we want to build up not only the military side of it, but the civil side of it. we wish to go in together, out

together. afghanistan will need our support, however, in the long run. so we will not abandon them. barack, thank you very much again for the very friendly talks, for this very warm atmosphere, for making it possible to have this exchange of views in a very candid manner. i think even though we make look differently than our predecessors we have a lot in common, i think, and we have a lot to discuss. thank you. >> i'll start off with steve holland of reuters. >> thank you, mr. president. you both face economic troubles. mr. president, how worried are you about the threat of a double-dip recession? what specific policies are you considering to help head it off? and abroad, do you expect germany to fund another bailout for greece? and chancellor merkel, is europe concerned about the possibility of the u.s. defaulting on its debt? thank you. >> i'm not concerned about a double-dip recession. i am concerned about the fact that the recovery that we're on is not producing jobs as quickly as i want it to happen.

prior to this month we had seen three months of very robust job growth in the private sector. and so we were very encouraged by that. this month you still saw job growth in the private sector, but it had slowed down. we don't yet know whether this is a one-month episode or a longer trend. obviously we're experiencing some headwinds, gas prices probably being most prominent. it has an enormous impact on family budgets and on the psychology of consumers. and so we are taking a range of steps to make sure that we've got an energy policy that can bring some stability to world oil prices. but the overall trend that we've seen over the last 15 months -- 2 million -- over 2 million jobs created over the past 15 months -- a rebounding of the manufacturing sector in the united states that's exemplified

by the recovery of the big three automakers here -- all indicates that we have set a path that will lead us to long-term economic growth. but we've still got some enormous work to do. and as long as there are some folks out there who are unemployed, looking for work, then every morning when i wake up, i'm going to be thinking about how we can get them back to work. some of the steps that we took during the lame duck session, the payroll tax, the extension of unemployment insurance, the investment in -- or the tax breaks for business investment in plants and equipment -- all those things have helped. and one of the things that i'm going to be interested in exploring with the members of both parties in congress is how do we continue some of these policies to make sure that we get this recovery up and running in a robust way. we then have a set of long-term

competitiveness challenges that aren't so different from what germany or any advanced country is having to go through in the 21st century, where we have emerging markets who are becoming more competitive themselves. and we're going to have to step up our game. so making sure that our school systems are working well and we've got the best-trained workers in the world; making sure that we're investing in infrastructure so that we can attract businesses to our shores; making sure that we reform our tax system so it's less complex, more transparent, and is encouraging of business investment; and getting a hold -- getting a handle on our deficit in a way that's balanced and sensible. so we're going to have some days where things aren't going as well as we'd like. there are going to be some times where we're surprised with better economic data than we expected. we are on the path of a recovery, but it's got to accelerate. and that's going to require a continuation of a lot of the

steps that i've already discussed. with respect to the european situation, i have had extensive discussions with angela about the situation there. it's a tough situation and i think we all acknowledge it. greece's debt is significant, and it is taking some difficult steps to improve its situation. but they're under the gun from the international capital markets, and as part -- as a member of the euro zone, they necessarily are going to be looking to other members of the euro zone to help them figure out a path forward. germany is going to be a key leader in that process. and the politics of it are tough. you recall how difficult it was for us to make investments in our own auto industry or to make sure that we didn't have a financial meltdown here. well, imagine if you're having

to make those same decisions with 27 other countries with respect to somebody else's economic problems. that gives you some sense of how tough the politics are. but i am confident that germany's leadership, along with other key actors in europe, will help us arrive at a path for greece to return to growth, for this debt to become more manageable. but it's going to require some patience and some time, and we have pledged to cooperate fully in working through these issues both on a bilateral basis but also through international and financial institutions like the imf. >> well, in europe we are very well aware of responsibility for the global economy. barack just outlined what the

americans are doing in order to generate growth and combat unemployment, which is what we're doing in europe as well. through the global financial and economic crisis, we've seen how interdependent we are. and the stability of the euro zone is therefore an important factor of stability for the whole of the global economy. so we do see clearly our european responsibility and we're shouldering that responsibility together with the imf. we've seen that the stability of the euro as a whole will also be influenced if one country is in trouble. and that is what this assistance is all about. there are actually -- there's actually a ban on bailouts in the treaties underpinning the stability and growth pact. but if a country is in danger and thereby endangers the euro as a whole, it is in each and every country's vested interest to see to it that this common currency area is not endangered. and we will act in such a way, however, that sustainability is guaranteed, as i said

previously. as far as the situation in the united states is concerned, i think each and every one ought to deal with his or her own problems. we in europe have our hands full already with what we need to do, and i'm absolutely convinced that as we shoulder our responsibility and meet our responsibility, so will the united states of america. >> for the chancellor today, her recognition of the accomplishments in the past, or is it as well an expression of the expectations that you would have for the future? and if so, where do you see areas globally where the chancellor and germany can do more? >> and madam chancellor, addressed to you, germany is after all actually being praised in america through its economic might, its progress. does this mean, however, also

that it entails certain enhanced responsibilities and where you have to live up to responsibilities, or do you think germany needs to do more in the future? >> with respect to the medal of freedom, it certainly is a recognition of the chancellor's remarkable career. i think not only has she been an excellent steward of the german economy and the european project, but she represents the unification of europe through her own life story and the capacity to overcome the past and point towards a brighter future. so the extraordinary work that she's already done i think would by itself merit the medal of freedom. fortunately she's going to be around quite a bit longer.

and so she's going to be doing outstanding work in the future. her leadership will be critical on economic issues of the sort that we just discussed in the euro zone. and i very much compliment her on the courage with which she approaches some of these very difficult political issues, at some significant political costs to herself. on the international stage, there's no issues that we don't coordinate closely with germany. and our work in afghanistan, our work together with nato, the approach that we've taken with respect to the middle east and the arab spring, our approaches to development issues and how we help the poorest countries find their place in the international

economy, these are all going to be areas where i think angela's leadership will be welcomed and will be absolutely critical for us to be able to achieve the kind of more peaceful and prosperous world that we want to see. so she's not finished yet; she's got a lot more work to do. i know sometimes she probably wouldn't mind a couple of days off, but she'll have to wait for that. >> well, i believe when you see me standing here before you today and receiving this prestigious award of the medal of freedom, it will perhaps also be a moment where one needs to look back to 1989 and german unification, and what actually happened there. if you like, germany entered into a qualitatively new phase. we were all of a sudden a reunited country, a country with all rights, but also with all the obligations. if i think back to the beginning of the '90s, we were struggling

for a decision that would enable us to send ships on the adria, taking part in reconnaissance missions. and if you compare this to where we are today, you see the road that we have traveled in the direction of assuming more international responsibility. military missions -- participating in military missions are part and parcel of that -- on the balkans, in unifil, in afghanistan, in combating piracy, and in many other areas. but what's also important in this context -- and that's an approach that we both share, barack and i -- is that we need to combine military and civil engagement. and so i think we live up to our international responsibilities. the world is full of problems that we need to address. that's a reality and you cannot have enough partners that work together with you in a coordinated way, and this is why this cooperation is so extremely important for our common future.

i'm saying this also as someone who comes from europe. the changes in north africa are changes that happen on our doorstep. those are our immediate neighbors and we have a choice. either this works out well or we have an enormous refugee problem. and so it's not only out of charity that we help people. there's not only a moral obligation. but we have also a vested interest in seeing to it that this continent, this region, comes on its feet. >> thank you, mr. president, chancellor merkel. mr. president, you called chancellor merkel one of your closest global allies, but you have differed in approach on a couple of key issues -- libya and the global economic recovery over the years. in libya, do you believe more german military involvement in that operation would bring it to a faster, more decisive conclusion? and did you ask chancellor merkel for such a commitment? and on the european economic question, did you ask her

specifically to drop her insistence that the private sector become involved in the greek debt bailout, which is holding up that and which you've blamed the european sluggishness for america's own stalled recovery? chancellor merkel, if i could ask you, do you believe nato was mistaken in getting involved militarily in libya? and if not, why are you not more directly involved militarily there? and what more can you do to promote an accelerated european economic recovery? thank you. >> well, first of all, with respect to libya, i think it is important to note that this is a nato operation that's fully integrated, which means you have german personnel who are involved actively in these activities in their nato role. as i indicated before, germany has stepped up and taken additional responsibilities in afghanistan that have freed up resources for us to be able to

conduct our operations in libya. chancellor merkel and i share the belief that gaddafi needs to step down for the sake of his own people. and with respect to the pace of operations and participation, i think if you look at where we were three months ago and where we are now -- or two months ago and where we are now -- the progress that has been made in libya in significant. our goal there was to protect the libyan people from a potential slaughter. we have done so. benghazi is free from threat of the libyan regime right now. they are hunkered down. misurata, which was under severe attack, is now in a situation where although still threatened, gaddafi's forces have been pushed back.

so what you're seeing across the country is a inexorable trend of the regime forces being pushed back, being incapacitated. you're seeing defections, oftentimes of some very high-profile members of the gaddafi government, as well as the military. and i think it is just a matter of time before gaddafi goes. and each country that is part of this coalition is playing a different role. so we did a whole bunch of stuff at the front end to disable gaddafi's air defenses, to take out some of their most significant firepower. now we are in a more supportive role as other countries have stepped up. germany -- we did discuss last night germany's role, and there is going to be a lot of work to do when gaddafi does step down, in terms of getting the libyan people back on their feet --

economic, political work that's going to have to be done. and my expectation is going to be that there will be full and robust german support as there has been in the past from germany on a wide range of issues. with respect to the economy, as i said before, this is a tough and complicated piece of business. and ultimately, europeans are going to have to make decisions about how they proceed forward. what you have to do is balance the recognition that greece has to grow, and that means that there has to be private investment there. they've got to make structural reforms that make them more competitive. they have to have greater transparency in their economic system. but given their level of debt, it also means that other countries in the euro zone are

going to have to provide them a backstop and support. and frankly, people who are holding greek debt are going to have to make some decisions, working with the european countries in the euro zone about how that debt is managed. what we've done is to say to germany and other countries that are involved; we will be there for you; we are interested in being supportive; we think that america's economic growth depends on a sensible resolution of this issue; we think it would be disastrous for us to see an uncontrolled spiral and default in europe, because that could trigger a whole range of other events. and i think angela shares that same view. and so we're going to have to work through this issue methodically, and we will be supportive in any ways that we can to make sure that all the

best ideas are brought to bear on the problem. but let me just make one larger point about -- because it relates also to the question that steve asked earlier. i think people on both sides of the atlantic are understandably frustrated with the ups and downs of the economy, the world economy. and it's just very important for folks to remember how close we came to complete disaster. the world economy took a severe blow two and a half years ago. and in part that was because of a whole set of policy decisions that had been made and challenges that had been unaddressed over the course of the previous decade.

and recovering from that kind of body blow takes time. and recovery is going to be uneven, and there are going to be times where we are making progress but people are still skittish and nervous, and the markets get skittish and nervous, and so they pull back because they're still thinking about the traumas of just two and a half years ago. and so economic data that in better times would pass without comment, now suddenly people wonder, well, are we going to go back to this terrible crisis? and all that affects consumer confidence, it affects business confidence. it affects the capital markets. and so our task is to not panic, not overreact, to make sure that we've got a plan, a path forward in terms of how we make our economies competitive; making sure we're dealing with the structural issues and the

basic fundamentals that will allow us to grow and create a good, sound business environment. so in america, for example, the need for us to get a handle on our debt and our deficit is going to be important, making sure that our investments in education, in clean energy, in infrastructure -- that we find a way to do that. in germany and europe, there are going to be different sets of challenges. but the important point is, is that -- i think angela would agree -- what we try not to do is to look day to day at whatever is happening in the marketplace or whatever headlines are taking place and be reactive. our job is to set a course for the medium and the long term that assures that not only both our economies grow, but the world economy is stable and prosperous. and i think we can do that together.

>> well, maybe i should comment briefly on this as well. two and a half years ago, we experienced something that didn't exist for decades -- ever since the '20s and '30s of the previous century. and generally around, because we cooperated so well, we were able to ward off the worst that could have happened. and now we have a situation that we believe is something that meets the challenges of the future. before the crisis, we discussed what sort of format are we to choose -- a g20, g8, g30. now we have the g20, which is a good format, has proved to be a good format, and has, for example, as regards settling this situation and setting up rules for the financial markets, has been able to come up with credible solutions. and that has strengthened our cooperation, although we do debate matters in a controversial manner. for example, do we need more stimulus? how much do we need? how many savings programs and cuts programs do we need? what structural programs do we need? i think that shows great openness because we're all breaking new ground. these are unchartered waters,

and we cannot, with all due respect, rely completely on the financial business community to give us good advice every day. they have their own vested interest. so we were dependent on our own good and sound judgment. and exchanges will be necessary on this in the future as well. as regards libya, the united nations resolution is apply -- still applies. gaddafi needs to step down and he will step down. i'm convinced of that, because we have made great progress. and then there will still be a lot of work to do. and in the future when we have the talks on this, we agree that germany is showing -- will be showing that it is responsible and committed to the libyan cause. there will be a lot of problems still to contend with, and we'll be in the closest possible contact. we support -- germany supports the nato operation simply by being present in the stance there, and also by stepping up our commitment in afghanistan. it is our joint will that this nato mission is successful.

and this is important for the people in libya, but it's also important for nato, for the alliance at large. and here we have one heart of allies that beats with the other allies. >> the german decision on libya has burdened the german- american relationship somewhat. were you surprised by these irritations and this warm reception? is this something like a reset button or a breaking up out into a new future? and you, president obama, were in buchenwald and baden-baden, but as a new president not in berlin. why not? and will this happen once you have your new term of office? >> well, i believe that this present event here today after all has been agreed for a long time, and our partnership, our friendship rests on a very broad basis, as i said this

morning. and sometimes there may be differences of opinion in such a friendship and partnership. what's important is that we wish each other every success. not each and everyone can be in on missions. for example, we participated in unifil where the united states are not participating. without sort of mixing up things here, there will be areas in the world where we shoulder different responsibilities. partners are doing together with others things that we believe can be useful. and this is what we want to do. we want to see to it that our contribution is bringing about a success, is encouraging other people to now see we wish to live in a democracy, this is good, this is sensible. so i see today's event as a wonderful reception, but it's not something that's so unusual. i see it in a continuity of our very close relations, and i do see it as another starting point, if you like, for meeting other challenges of the future. on the question of germany, you

said that the american president some people say in germany has not really been to germany at all. he was in dresden, he was in buchenwald, he was in baden- baden for the nato conference. berlin opens its arms to him every day. but the berliners can also wait. they have proved this throughout their history. >> i look very much forward to being in berlin. and the last time i was there we had a lot of fun. [laughter] and i'm sure that i'll have a wonderful time the next time i'm there as well. and i appreciate you assuming that i'll have another term. [laughter] and so i'll have plenty of time to be able to put berlin on my schedule. all right? thank you very much, everybody. >> and i can promise that the brandenburg gate will be standing for some more time.

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> in a few moments, a european union news conference on the people live up break that has sickened several dozen people. e. coli outbreak that

has sickened several dozen people. >> a couple of live hearings to tell you about tomorrow morning. hereon c-span, the senate judiciary committee looks into the possibility of extending robert miller's term as head of ueller's- robert mulle term as head of the fbi by another two years. and then ryan crocker, ambassador confirmation hearing. >> continuing conversations on facebook, political places in washington and beyond with foreswear, and programming highlight on our youtube channel -- c-span and social media. connect today. >> a new strain of e. coli has

killed more than 20 people and sickened more than 2000 across europe. up next, tuesday's briefing by the european union farm ministers about farmers affected by the reduced sales of vegetables and fruit. this is a half-hour. >> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. welcome, everyone, today's conference. today, with the commissioners, we would like to inform you about what happened at today's extraordinary council meeting, what was on the agenda, and what we decided on these important issues that keep everyone busy in europe. first of all, a week ago, at the informal agricultural council meeting, he touched upon the

issue of the e coli outbreak. this has food safety dimensions and we would like to express our condolences to the victims. we wish a quick recovery to those who are suffering from the disease. this has very serious economic consequences. this could ruin farmers who have -- who may have worked all their lives in this sector. this is a very important issue. this is why the hon. presidency decided, as soon as possible, -- this is why the hungarian presidency decided, as soon as possible, that we can been a commission of the european union. inform us about the latest in this area and what you said to

the council on the record alert system. commissioner, the floor is yours. >> thank you very much. to start with, but me also express once again my condolences to those who are suffering death and disease caused by this outbreak. in the current phase of the crisis, we need to focus all our efforts in supporting the patients suffering from the disease, insuring right information to the public, and more. 100666 toxic-producing e. coli cases. cases are reported in a number of states. the commission is using all of the tools that its disposal and is working hard to help food

ministries and support them in containing this outbreak. in dealing with this outbreak, the importance of rigorous science and coordination, transparent communication, broaden the been investigations can that be emphasized. we need to be sure that the advice and information we put into the public domain can stand up to rigorous scrutiny. in trying to quench his thirst for information, we must not drop recorder -- draw premature conclusions. member states are confident of the scientific cases. the outbreak is limited

geographically to an area around the city of hamburg. there's no reason, as of today, to take any measures at the european level. in light of this, we will consider it a disproportionate. we are in constant contact with other countries, in particular russia, to lift their ban. i cannot emphasize enough how important it is to work together, cooperate and share expertise. to address this outbreak and bring it to an end as soon as possible. the european consumer has the right to feel confident about the food they eat. we can and we must do everything we can to ensure to them that the food they eat is safe in order to avoid any more loss of human life and suffering. when the crisis is over, we must learn the lessons from this outbreak, look at our systems,

look at options and possibilities there are, and where changes may be needed. and for improvements to be made in order to prepare and restore the future right now, it is not come for recriminations. this is the time for cooperation and solidarity. thank you very much. -- if there are questions for me at this stage, i can take them now because i will have to leave. >> is it also a matter of

improving control from a preventive point of view to avoid contaminated products that actually end up in the consumer's plight before people die and then tried to improve on things? the not think something should be done prevented the blade? thank you. >> again, i think we have to take everything into perspective. i believe that the systems we have in europe are intended to exactly do what you are talking about. i am sure that the food coming into the place of our citizens are wholesome and without any problems. but problems do arise from time to time because of certain issues that are knocked -- that are not the ordinary way of doing things, happenings that are out of the normality.

the other systems we have paraboloids and controls, kicking to ensure that -- the assistance we have informed and controls, kick into work to try to eliminate the problem as it arises. it happened. it was controlled. we have learned our lessons. we introduced a new procedures in that sector to control the reoccurrence as much as possible. but let us not intimate that the control systems, the food safety systems in europe are in any way not effective. our policies on food production,

our policies on food safety, i believe, are the best in the world. >> are there any other questions for the commissioner? >> no. >> thank you, ladies and gentlemen. the next issue was in connection with the fruits and vegetable growers and farmers. it is important to keep and retain the health of people. you need help the food and you need farmers, producers -- you need help the food and you need farmers and producers who produce top quality food. and to produce for the european market. and these people ended up in this situation through no fault of their own.

despite the fact that cities have shown that it was not -- that studies have shown that it was not from sprouts and cucumbers for the contamination came, the market has dropped two-thirds of fruits and vegetables that cannot be sold in europe now. this is a situation that has to be resolved now. we have to restore confidence in consumers. also, we have to make farmers believe that we are not -- we have to make responsible decisions and we have made this decision. the point is that we have to take on -- we have to pay compensation to farmers. we need a swift solution. the commission came to our meeting with a set of proposals. i would like the commissioner to

explain his proposal to us. >> today's discussion and the proposal and made follows on discussion we already had in the informal council of ministers in hungary last week. but that informal council already touched on the issue. at that time, the commission promised to look at all legal and budgetary stability is force a billet -- for supporting the sector. there are limited instruments that the present council regulation allows the commission to use in such situations. on that basis, given the crisis situation, we tried to improve the measures already earmarked for organizations and give them more flexibility.

they are in the ceiling of 5%. we will not take into account withdrawals carried out by producer organizations. we will not put a limit to one- third of operations funds used for price it -- for crisis management measures. given the scale of the crisis. non harsh measures can be enacted even if we have started harvesting. -- non -- harvest -- non- harvest measures can be enacted even if we have started harvesting. given the european scale of the crisis, it has been found to

provide financial aid by mobilizing 191 of the vogel, an organization of the market with exceptional community aid funding 100% by the community budget. so that will until compensation. compensation for certain categories of producers and products. in the case of the non-members, so that we can control, we have to monitor the quantity withdrawn from the market's and concluded contract with existing producers and compensation would be based on the producer organization. as for the fruits and

vegetables sector come all community aid is channeled through producer organizations. as a reference period, the price of products covered by this , 2008, 2009, we have decided on the compensation level of 30% of the market price in that reference period. the market price then, the average, was higher than the price at present. we do not have exact details of prices on all community markets.

following the discussion we have had this afternoon, where member states did justifications and asked for these figures to be revised upwards, i asked him -- i gauge the commitment to revise these figures with the overall amount and come back with an improved offer, a substantial, balanced, and justify it figure in light of the current situation. we can do this analysis fairly quickly. tomorrow, perhaps, we can come back with an improved proposal and then propose it in the management committee. we will have to discuss and vote on that commission proposal. we will make an improved proposal to the management committee for a speedy decision, probably at the beginning of next week. there you are.

i feel discussions that took place today were very constructive, both on the decisions to be taken now, but also on the perspective. in the council, i addressed the fact that in the positions taken reforming the cap for the post-2013 period would not bear in mind that, at present, kennedy actions is very limited for these crisis measures. it puts the commission in an awkward situation. but there are few measures for acting quickly and efficiently. we need to draw conclusions from that and take into account the chance of improving these measures and make them more flexible in decisions we take with the council and the parliament on the basis of commission proposals in the context of the cap reform. >> thank you. i would like to make just one addition year.

the member states -- one addition here. the member states wanted to add other products to the list and they also wanted to increase the reference price, based upon the member state figure -- change and modify the proposal. the member states also said that they have imposed a just -- and unjustified ban on fruits and vegetable exports. we want to make sure that these are lifted as soon as possible within a few days. we also want to make sure that farmers receive compensation within a few days. ladies and gentlemen, are there any questions? we would be more than happy to answer.

>> i would like to put this in spanish. you were talking about revising the figure upwards. but we have not had any figures as regards the losses at the moment from the crisis in europe. to what extent can you improve on that offer? what are the actual needs? these have to be known. the spanish minister has said that there would be a promotion campaign to try to recover the image of the spanish industry. our first estimates, we have to look at our budget

available. as the budget is limited and you are all aware of the pressures on the budget, within the budget, we have to find a balance between the level of compensation that we can offer producers and the types of product to which they would apply. at the the data we receive, the most affected are cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. the king of the figures today, there are other products extremely effective. -- looking at the figures today, there are other products extremely affected. there are products to have we capacity for storage. that means that the producers

have very small margin to maneuver for preserving these products. what we will do is provide a proposal that is balanced. looking at the budget that we have and looking at the products affected, we are operating within a single market and we have to bear that in mind. as regards to the promotion campaign, i have also said that, in the context of the programs that we function within the european union, for all the fruits and vegetables sector. after the agricultural services to accelerate the process of selecting projects for promotion of the sector. so that, by the autumn, we will have selected and decided on

these projects. and then we could have promotions campaigns in the eu. >> another question from spain. i am over here. you said these figures would be corrected upwards. the ministers asked for 100% or 90%. can you manage that? >> there are two things. we cannot offer full compensation because 100% for some might mean 120% or 130% for others. we need to bear that in mind. we also should not forget that, for producers who are members of producer organizations, they can already get compensated through the budget of the producer organization. a part of that budget comes from

the community. when the commission said 30%, you have to be aware that, added on to that, is what farmers can get from the producer organizations. i am prepared to revise this upwards, but i do not think that the budget available at the moment will mean that we can go up to 100%. that is for all products and for all producers. i am aware that we have to provide support in as consistent amount as possible. the commission is assuming its responsibility within the limits of our regulation and of our budget. >> the president of the council has to leave in tennis time. we have time for two more questions. -- lead in 10 minutes time. we have time for two more

questions. speaking spanis[speaking spanis] >> i would like to put my questions in spanish. i would like to know whether most countries concerned ask for 100% compensation and has the council considered asking for germany to pay part of that compensation at of its own pocket. >> if this is about the council, i think the council should reply. i cannot speak on behalf of the ministers. that is that of respect for them. powerball >> we had a lively debate in the council and all member states commented on this agenda point.

we had varying ideas as to the level compensation. many member states said they wanted 100%, but givingiven thet that we do not want to ove overcompensate, we have to find the fastest and best solution for the farmers. >> what is the time frame -- when can the first money flow to the farmer? >> my aim is to have a decision taken as soon as possible, that is within a few days. following today's discussion, on the budget -- on the basis of a proposal already prepared, which was already discussed today in brussels in the management committee, the commission

probably will come back tomorrow with an improved proposal tomorrow, i imagine. within three days, within the commission for a commission regulation to be adopted and approved. and then, a management committee, which may be convened, say, next tuesday, then we would be in a position to have a decision. on the basis of that decision, member states could already start implementing measures and collect information. there again, you need to bear in mind that this is public money and we need to be in a position to account for its use. so we need to see how the information is collected from potential beneficiaries and the type of products and the quantity of product with a drawn for members of the

organization. the information will be available next weekend member states can get to work accordingly. >> from afv -- could you please specify, commissioner, what order of magnitude rethinking of. from 150 million euros, would it be two hundred million euros or three ended million euros? >> i cannot say. that is why i did not give you any figure today. i can just do my sums here at the table. in fact, my figures were for these amounts. and i am ready to reconsider. but i cannot give you the figures now. we will announce them as soon as possible, possibly tomorrow, where you will see the improved versions. >> one last question.

>> in italian. i have a specific question. of these 150 million that you have, how would they be distributed. if i understood correctly, i was told that it would be first come first served. but if you will increase the range of products, increasing, for example, products on the south, courgettes, peppers, and so on, there probably there will not be enough for everyone. when you have a method -- will you have a method or would simply be first come first serve? those who make the application will get the money and those that make the applications later might end up with nothing. >> >> i cannot give you an answer to that question today. we're still analyzing the best

way of insuring that we managed to compensate the maximum of people, but without committing any flagrant inequalities. we have to look at the demand we get. we do not know how many requests will be made and for what amount. we have to ensure producers can show proof that they have such and such production, they have withdrawn it, that it is free of charge. there will be room for adoption in the committee. you'll find all of those details, i imagine. >> would you like to add something? >> thank you, ladies and gentlemen. we have another topic for our meeting today, which is the drought situation, which is a special problem in the western part of europe and has an impact

on the bovine market. we discussed this topic by france and supported by belgium. the proposal and the commission will take the necessary measures. this is another important topic of today's meeting. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] the fda commissioner for food says that it equalize threat -- that the eagle line -- that the

e. coli issue in europe does not affect the u.s. this is a little more than an hour. we picked topical subjects and bring in experts and invite representatives of the washington community in to hear them. today is no exception. to get going, i would like to introduce brendan daly, the head of our public-relations practice. >> thank you. good morning. this is our exchange series. we're glad that michael taylor is here with us this morning. is the deputy commissioner of foods at the fda. he was named commissioner in january 2010. he is the first person to have this authority. to implement the new food safety legislation, we will hear more

about it today. he is a national recognized safety food expert. the deputy commissioner spoke did during a newsworthy period on food safety. the food safety act is very significant and will go along way toward improving food safety in the united states. unfortunate, we have some funding issues which you address. of course, the coli outbreaks -- e. coli outbreak in europe is something that he will talk about as well. usb for about 20 minutes or so and then we will open up to questions. please, when you get to speak, identify yourself and where you're from and we will take it from there. with that, we will turn over to michael taylor. [applause]

>> thank you. thank you. thank you, brandon. i am glad to be here. this is billed as a lecture series. i am interested in talking for a few minutes about what is going on in food safety. i want to talk about the most important ideas in the food safety modernization act. it is really important that we relate what that law is about with what is going on in europe. once again, we have a very large, very tragic outbreak of food-borne illness. 22 people are dead and thousands are sick. these impacts will affect them for the rest of their lives.

and there is the food destruction. all the uncertainty anthat inevitably surround its upper extend the calls have a negative effect on the food economy. there are a lot of people working hard to respond to this, to discover the coscause and contain it, to react to this problem. i think we all know realistically that there are no silver bullets to eliminating these problems. we are always reacting. but will we have learned over a decade or so is that it is a losing proposition to put all our eggs to react to these problems. we have to take a prevention approach. we have to harness the knowledge

that we have, do the things that we know we can do to reduce the having theser th events happening in the future. while there are no magical solutions, the industry itself, the food industry itself has learned a lot about systematic approaches to understanding the hazards that come into food production and processing operations, had to put controls in place, and deter but those controls are working, how to correct problems when they occur, and prevented controls for food safety that we know can reduce the likelihood that food will be contaminated, that people will get sick. but the food said the modernization act recognizes -- what the food safety modernization act recognizes is that this approach of prevention, pioneered by the

food industry itself, can work to make food safer and meet the expectations of the public. the public is not satisfied when what we do is react. in this country, we're getting better and better at reacting to problems. those systems can do better, but the public expects us to do what we can to prevent these problems. that is really the mandate that the food safety modernization act that congress passed in january. it is not just the food and drug administration, but to the food industry to our city local partners, our foreign partners, congress recognizes that food safety requires a system solution. we're grateful that congress has passed this legislation and given us a significant workload -- i have to admit. i will talk about some of the challenges we face from a resource standpoint.

but there are four important ideas in this law. this will be the didactic lecture part of the conversation. to be sure, you have a sense of what this law is really all about in its approach to prevention. first of all, it mandates that fda said prevention-oriented standards, really articulate what it is that needs to happen, broadly speaking, the kind of prevention of persons that the need to be taken on the farm. for the first time, we have standards or groin practices that address contamination. food processing, feed manufacturing facilities, we have a mandate to establish regulation that will spell out the framework for preventive controls in those facilities. again, drawing on what industry learned and what secondary commissions learned, they're not

just the ones providing leadership today. again, we have to mandate the set of standards and prepared with alteration in case other items may occur. the establish regulations to provide guidance, support those regulations to release plan to industry what is the standard of care for prevention. -- to really explain to industry what is the standard of care for prevention. we need higher rates of compliance of these standards. food gets sicker not just by having the regulations on the books. -- food gets safer not just by

having the regulations on the books. everyday, food is being grown and processed and transported. congress has said, fda, you have a significant role to play to ensuring high rates of compliance. the primary responsibility for compliance is within the industry. industry is their responsibility to have them at the controls. the fda is expected to pay an oversight role. that is not meant to take appropriate action. we have always had the authority to go in and inspect facilities, but to see if there are any problems, and wif we find problems, correct them. now we have a mandate. you have to get it on its huge and frequency. i think it will provide a base for ensuring adequate oversight of facilities.

importantly, congress has said it will now have access to the records that companies are keeping. as companies have their systems in place for preventative control, it is no longer a manner of us going in to see again find problems. we can check the system and check their records. that is an enormous enhancement in the value of inspection and what they can do when the going to the facilities. and then, when something does go wrong, a mandatory recall has already gotten attention. more significantly, we now administrative enforcement tools, power is where we can take action to keep a potentially harmful product out of cars without having to take it all to court, with all the time and burden that that entails. we can administratively detain products but it appears to be

potentially putting people at risk. we can suspend registration. the ability to be in business. again, a strong tool. we want the right prevention standards. we want the stronger tone of accountability to ensure those needs are met. the core element of how we take this law, its implementation, will make food sector. the third big idea -- will make you safer. the third big idea, the laws under which we operate and the authorities that oversee imported food go back to 1938. that is pre-globalization, before the current state of play in which 15% of all the food consumed in this country is imported. but does not include the 70%

imported into this country. we have had issues with this before. mel levine is an intentional adulteration of food for the presence of animal drug residue and imported seafood. the problems that we have produced, sums cases, associated outbreaks. congress says we need to shift by an antiquated approach and. we get about 12 million entries every year, food products into this country, and we can screen as much as rely on computers, but we actually -- and think we have done a good job at

leveraging that oversight. but there is no way that we can meet the prevention aspirations. congress has said let's create a modern system that reflects globalization and takes this principle of prevention, as the los it domestically and make that the standard for those who are exporting goods to the united states. in particular, shift the problem from fda and put it more on the importer to provide the assurances that we expect the food their being in are up to the standards they have established. foreign supplier variegation program are required to be established. if so the hearing, but it is a positive way for consumers.

it stops the accountability of the importers. third-party -- i have already ordered third party organizations. congress has said let's build on that, but let's make it something you have done -- under standards that the usda -- the usda says. be sure they do not have conflicts of interest. we can have another short of checking, of accountability, to give vent to to the sensibilities that private companies have to provide those sorts of audits.

that would be a voluntary measure. the circumstances under which we would mandate that requires third-party certification we house -- where else have a mandate on the set of -- again, that will be an important part of what we do. your government has put a lighted to food safety in many cases. the release of the fourth and final basic idea want to mention. partnerships. this law, i am sure not marry and have read the pages -- i'm not sure if any of you have read the pages. we are clearly charged with collaborating with the food

industry and establishing a standard of care for prevention. and to cooperate with foreign government. government has recognized that fda does have an important role is to stick to system. the food safety system is not fda. it is not just what we do. is that the vast array of public and private activities at: everyday to improve the safety of the food -- activities that go on every day to improve the safety of the food. we know that food safety is a problem. there is no one culprit that you can activate back there. many actors need to be involved and the change will make the food sectosafer.

those are the if your ideas. i have gotten used to saying them enough so that it sounds like this is coming straight forward and simple. we know that this is a huge task. id is important that people understand that, again, this is not a silver bullet solution to food safety. this is about building a new system of prevention. it is not just getting the regulations on the book, which itself would take a couple of years, but implementing that in a way that actually works in a practical level, building new systems, particularly on the second part oversight. we take a long-term view of it. i will close by acknowledging the reality that those require investment. there's no way that we can build the new system with safety

protection without making investments in that system, to build its capacities. just a few examples, it is preclude those who have been working in this area. we invest -- we do need to invest more in science. we need to invest more in the science that helps us understand the hazards we need to address and addresses interventions that can minimize or eliminate those hazards. i think the coli outbreak in europe -- the e. coli outbreak in europe is a good example of food safety as a scientific matter being a dynamic challenge. bacterial cells change. we know the food system changes. the food supply in, the extended supply chain, bad, lettuce, and so forth. but changing the dynamic of the

way food is prepared and moves through congress. we have to invest in the signs that keeps up with that dynamic, so that is one area where, again, we're looking to step up our investments and need the resources to increase our investments. we have training demand. our staff at fda, i have a feel for. we have a special tool and we have been given a whole new set of tools. we have to change them to understand the controls they are putting in place. we have a retraining investment that we need to make.

the industry in many cases has a need for technical assistance. there are companies that are implementing stated that are benefits. there will be a need for technical assistance. we think the government will provide this. it is their responsibility. we want to invest and support and this. it works well. it builds the communities. another area of the investment

that is important is investing is investing in state resources. they are appalled and food safety. they are the primary inspectors at retail. many states also inspects manufacturing facilities. they are interested in what goes on p. we have had a partnership. we actually conducted this. they are saying that if we systematize that, they can bring in to do this. they are sharing data.

they can build an integrated system. this is what the legislation calls for. they think this can be highly leveraged. it to increase our ability to cover the establishment and be prevented. they respond better is when problems do of curve. they expect them to reach out globally. it goes all the way up to foreign countries. we have a substantial foreign inspection mandate. it would take this from the current level of about 604 and level inspections to doubling this every five years.

i get the term exponential growth. this is very costly. they cannot do about the investment. we are working closely with our stakeholders. we will work to get these needs met. one of the themes this year is our implementation process and the need to move out. all these folks will be implemented. they have substantial dialogue with the community.

it does have a meeting to look at the inspection. we need input in order to get this done right. we will seek more comments. i will give you our website, www.fda.gov/fsla that is by lecture for the morning. i am delighted to be here and happy to take questions. >> i am from the association of american veterinarian medical

colleges. he mentioned partnerships and a lot of food. a lot of problems originated from animals from how they feed. we have a shortage of world veterinarians. and when it peaked at talk about how your partnering with veterinarians are how you would like to do. -- i was wondering if you could talk about how you are partnering with veterinarians or how you would like to. >> the point about animal health and food safety is very strong and important. congress recognizes that. it is covered by the wall.

the treatment of animals, these are important considerations. within our program, we have a veterinarian medicine. it regulates the animal drugs in the animal feed. i was an administrator. i had to open their veterinarians. it took us awhile to realize you are all doing the same job. as far as i am concerned there preparing them for public

households. we have a practical context. it makes them more readily available. these are projects that use judicious use in the prevention of disease. it also deals with the supervision of veterinarians. we have dialogue with the animal health community about how we can support making better neri oversight. we can make it more abundant. this is a good example of a partnership example. we look forward to working with the group. >> i cannot know who is good to answer the questions. i would be happy to do that. >> to questions about the

situation in germany. would you say we are back to square one? our federal authorities looking at the possibility that this may have been a deliberate act? >> we are falling closely with the investigation. they need close contact. they are doing the investigations. the ft is following this from the standpoint of wanting to be sure that product produced in europe is not injuring our market. -- is not injuring our market. we import little or no produce. this investigation is not so different from many in which the inherent uncertainties are making it difficult.

i'm not going to characterize this. they are working hard to get to the answer. he are seeing the one. this is what we do for a mating. we are working hard to get the answer the best we can. we have offered support. they have this in place. >> i have to speculate about this.

>> there is concern. they have put a lot of resources and to the case of an amish farmer in pennsylvania. it seems out of proportion compared to the contamination of eggs. pity tell me why you are putting so many resources and so much effort to giving the budget constraints have? he are targeting an amish farmer? >> elem not comment on any of their case? -- i will not comment on any other case. we do respond to cases where people put at risk there. they can be made seriously ill. it is a very challenging issue.

when it comes to interstate commerce, we have the duty to implement it and make it safe. not everyone is a cheesier when apicky chooserh use when it comes to raw milk. we will keep doing our public health jobs. >> it changes the way [inaudible] >> use a microphone, please. >> i just wanted to know if you could comment on that at all.

it is to be a big change for the entire fda. what we do see happening in this action makes it into law? >> public health is all about prevention. it needs to be science base. they want to use the best available science. legislation that would require us to wait until people are hurt in order to take action, that is counter to what it is all about. the still with scientific uncertainties of the time. if we waited until the last one, i think the public good fun that and accessible -- unacceptable -- i think the public would find that unacceptable. that is the conflict.

we want our site the best we can be. we do recognize the insurgency. -- the uncertainty. >> do you know what might change? there is this process being used. >> it is a little hard to speculate on speculation. i think we know that certain practices and acker troll with respect to the quality of water -- certain practice and agricultural with respect to quality of water, we know applying that water without any

cooking is a hazard. we do not have evidence there every single commodity. there are x a number of people that have been hurt. we should not have to wait for that. we know that is a hazard. we want to do this an inappropriate way. it is that balance between understanding its to know how it is. this the case in which we should act. it is difficult from waiting until you got people heard by each commodity. we didn't a lot of time going through examples. -- we could spend a lot of time going through examples. i feel like i'm not the right person to be calling on people.

>> in light of what is going on in europe, are we to focus -- too focused on this? >> i think we have to understand all the hazards. we will tend to be as preventative as we can be. there are a number of different strains of very dangerous e. coli it differs in various is capablestics but the cabl of making people serious bill.

these pathogens often do have common prevention strategies. typically get into food. they start in the intestines of animals. if we are putting in place measures to prevent that contamination, we can be prevented and a comprehensive way. when any strain of pathogenic bacteria get into food, we need to take action. any of the strains of bacteria we consider to be illegal and not appropriate. we would take action to remove it.

>> i was wondering if what is going on with germinate has an impact on what you have been working on for a few years. can you tell us the status of the role? >> there is another example of why we did it. if the investigate other outbreaks, you can learn something about what the causes are. that is what we need to do. i think we have a pretty good understanding of the hazard says are coming into fresh produce. it is animals. it is water. it is human hygiene. congress has directed us. this is what we are going to do. congress has given us a one-year deadline for the proposed rule.

we are working very hard to make this deadline. we have a lot of deadlines in this legislation. we will be prioritizing our work and meeting the most critical deadlines as fully as it possibly can. ent.ave a comm folks are working hard. >> i am with the national association of health officials. i was hoping he could expand a little bit upon how you see the role of local health departments. >> the county and city health department are critical partners of ours. i am glad that you are here.

year officials are the front line on retail. you dig you are the officials on the front line on rate -- you are the official on the front line of retail. pay attention to the capacity. come up with ways to enhance it. we see it being an important part of that. we need to partner with the constituents in that capacity. it is also the case that the law directs the fda and the cdc to working closer ways with partners and outbreak response. we are doing the best possible job. that is another part. we are building it so we are working in an integrated way.

you have agencies doing this. most of them are vocal. >> i wanted to ask about safety. that is one of the pillars that you are talking about. i want to know about the status of pushing out the import safety, particularly in china and india. i wanted to ask about the resources that are needed. where are you going to get them from? >> as i mentioned, there is a mandate that is set of the foreign supplied verification. these will happen. we will get them on the books.

he mentioned our offices in china and india. that is important for people to understand. the mandate to work more closely is very important. it is something we have appreciated. that is why we have three offices in china. these are not for an inspection posts. it is a way for us to build a partnership with the chinese government agencies and the local business community so we can communicate what our expectations are so we can learn about what they are doing. they are making a big investment. we are eager to figure out how

we can leverage some of the efforts. when i say long term, these are things we think are important. just a globally, there is globalization and harmonization. we cannot afford to be duplicating effort here. there is a lot of work to be done. we are in that dialogue with china. it is a major export jury here.

>> thank you for your remarks. there is an ongoing project with the trust fund. the question is, what is the agency expects from that project? what you want to see? >> we are working closely. this has been the bedrock program since congress passed the amendment in 1958. i think what it is about is understanding that it has evolved. we are learning about some of the more subtle effects they can have. you want to make sure this is up

to date. i will not go into some of the details. there are limitations. i think there are significant issues. we will expect to continue. >> the roll miking you are talking about will take some time to be implemented. how concerned are you about a similar outbreak could happen? could you talk about any cases?

>> it is inevitable that we will have outbreaks. this is despite the fact that there is a lot going on. there is a lot of work they are doing, some of our engagement at the the public has to be realistic. it is important that the public have realistic expectations about where we are and where we .re ago week apar

we will have to stay vigilant. we are working on that. >> there is always a small number of questions such a being tracked. we will give you some sense. i'm not sure that there are any large looming outbreaks. >> we have gotten over the first one, how this is. i am thinking of good manufacturing prices. libby more of a wide net -- will

it be more of a wide net that is thrown? are the exemptions for farmers and restaurants? >> as for the diversity of the produce sector, it is enormous. it is one of the big challenges that we have. everything from these fields in california to the three and 4 acre growers produce is for commercial channels. it is different for the scale. there are different conditions. congress has made it clear. we are working. this is the hard work we are doing. we are coming with a framework that it does adjusted in a way that can be a adapted.

i think that will be the test of this. i think we can. i think it is a great idea. we went to 13 states last year listening to people. i think we have a good base of understanding. we will see how this goes. we by me of your second question. -- reminds me of your second question. there was a test amendment. this did exempt growers and processors that had less than 500 per year. police have their cells were going to read to