Food industry groups have joined forces with consumer advocates to press the Obama Administration to approve new food safety rules.

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has taken issue with a survey released by an advocacy group that purported to find half the chicken products marketed by national brands and sold in supermarkets to be contaminated with feces.

Tyson Foods, Inc. began work on a multi-million dollar improvement and expansion project at its poultry complex in Sedalia, MO. Improvements will include processes to benefit animal handling, food safety, environmental quality, workplace safety and production lines.

Under a new USDA policy, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will launch traceback investigations earlier when the Agency finds E. coli O157:H7 through its routine sampling program.

Kronos Foods, Inc., a manufacturer of gyros and other Mediterranean and specialty foods, received USDA-certification as a dairy facility and will begin producing Greek yogurt specifically for the foodservice industry.

The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved the 2012 Farm Bill and sent it to the Senate floor for debate.