Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 2010

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES NEARLY $400,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS COMING TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY FOR FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH

USDA Funds Will Provide Support For Agricultural Research At The Cornell Food Safety Laboratory

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that Cornell University will receive $397,498 in federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Funds will be used by the Cornell Food Safety Laboratory to research growth inhibitors to foodborne pathogens.

“We must continue to fund research to protect consumers from dangerous food,” said Schumer. “With these USDA Funds, Cornell University will continue to be at the forefront of food safety research that will benefit both the consumers protected by the results and students who will be better prepared to lead the way in the future.”

The Cornell Food Safety Laboratory will use this funding to research the mechanisms of growth inhibitors for foodborne pathogens in seafood. The mission of the Food Safety Laboratory is to facilitate basic and applied research on the microorganisms responsible for foodborne diseases and food spoilage. To these ends, its current research activities focus on the genetics, pathogenesis, and ecology of bacteria transmitted through food systems, including both pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms results are translated into practical applications for improving the microbial safety and quality of foods through close interactions with the food industry and regulatory agencies responsible for protecting the food supply.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), funded by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), awards grants to address a number of agriculture issues, including plant health and production and plant products, food safety, nutrition, and health, and Agriculture economics and rural communities.

###

Resource Center