Senate negotiations on the food safety bill continued all week, but they ended unsuccessfully, leaving supporters with little hope for passage any time soon. Leaders in both parties worked out an agreement that would limit the number of new amendments and allow the bill to pass with limited debate so it could be sent to the House of Representatives. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) brought the bill to the floor on Wednesday, but Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) objected and refused to allow debate to begin on the bill.

Although negotiations will continue, IDFA believes it's unlikely that the bill, S. 510, will pass before the Senate adjourns at the end of next week. The bill is not dead, however, because it may be considered during a lame-duck session of Congress that is scheduled to start in mid-November.