NE ____

Source: UVA Youth Leadership Initiative

Name:
Date:
Period:

The Bureaucracy of Pizza:

Taking a Closer Look at How the Federal Bureaucracy Governs Your Pizza!
Background: When the executive branch of the national government was established in 1789, the federal bureaucracy
consisted of just three Cabinet departments and the Office of the Attorney General, later to become the Justice Department. In
1789 the State Department had 9 employees, the War Department had 2, and the Treasury Department had 39. Today, the
State Department employs about 28,000 civilians, the Defense Department about 670,000, and the Treasury Department
about 163,000. The federal bureaucracy today boasts 15 Cabinet departments and dozens of agencies, regulatory
commissions, and government corporations, with a civilian workforce of more than 2.8 million. The bureaucratic behemoth
exercises power and influence over virtually every facet of the nations social and economic life. In the view of many
observers, the power, reach, and independence of the federal bureaucracy demand that it be viewed as a fourth branch of
government.
Directions: Your task is to take each component part of a home-delivered pizza and, using the links below, research the
federal agencies and departments that would regulate it in some way. Use the chart on the reverse side to explain how each
component part of the pizza delivery is regulated by the agency and/or department. (Source: www.youthleadership.net.)

Internet Resources:
The links below will assist you in determining how each federal agency and/or department regulates each pizza component:
1)
2)

Cardboard Box: http://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/default.htm

Tomato Sauce: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3010852

3)

Crust: http://askfsis.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1338

4)

Cheese: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3006740

5)

Mushrooms: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5050306

6)

Anchovies (seafood): http://www.registrarcorp.com/fda-fce-sample/Anchovy?lang=ch

7)

Pepperoni: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-factsheets/meat-preparation/sausages-and-food-safety/ct_index

8)

Onions: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/8e/onion.html

9)

Delivery Vehicle: http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/

10)

Diet Soda: http://www.rense.com/general33/legal.htm

PIZZA COMPONENT

1)

Cardboard Box

RELEVANT FEDERAL DEPARTMENT and/or AGENCY &

Brief Description ITS REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF PIZZA COMPONENT (2pts
Each: 20 Total)
Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

2)

Tomato Sauce

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

3)

Crust

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

4)

Cheese

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

5)

Mushrooms

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

6)

Anchovies

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

7)

Pepperoni

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

8)

Onions

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

9)

Delivery Vehicle

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

10)

Diet Soda

Department/Organization: ___________________________________________________
Regulatory Oversight:

Questions for Discussion (3 Points Each)

1)

What generalizations can you make about the bureaucracy of pizza i.e. how involved are federal agencies and
departments in the take out and frozen pizza that you eat?

2)

What are the advantages and disadvantages to consumers of pizza (like you) of federal rules and regulations?
Advantages and disadvantages for pizza businesses?

3)

Based on what you learned from this activity about the bureaucracy of pizza, would you go into the pizza business?
Why or why not?

The Bureaucracy and the Federal Register (6 pts. Per question 30 Points total)
The departments and agencies in the federal bureaucracy exercise immense power by making and implementing policy.
Congress has delegated to the departments and agencies the quasi-legislative power of issuing rules and regulations
that have the force of law. Because the regulations issued by the federal bureaucracy have the potential to affect every social
and economic interest in the nation, Congress requires that proposed regulations, their justification, and the process used to
formulate them be published in the Federal Register. Generally, a proposed regulation does not take effect for thirty days
after it is published in the Federal Register. During that period, concerned parties can express support or opposition to the
proposed regulation.
1)

Navigate to the Proposed Rule for the Elimination of the Pizza Standard that appeared in the Federal Register on
Friday, November 2, 2001.

What is the purpose of the proposed rule?

What federal department and/or agency is proposing the rule?

What motivated this department or agency to propose the rule?

2)

Navigate to the letter submitted by the National Frozen Pizza Institute (NFPI) and the letter submitted by Schwans
Sales Enterprises, Inc. with regard to the proposed rule change. Describe the positions of the National Frozen Pizza
Institute (NFPI) and Schwans on the proposed rule change.

3)

What is the National Frozen Pizza Institute? Describe the relationship that exists between the NFPI and companies
like Schwans.

4)

Read the SUMMARY section of the Federal Register entry from July 31, 2003, Definitions and Standards of
Identity or Composition: Elimination of the Pizza with Meat or Sausage Standards and answer the following questions:

5)

Did the rule change pass?

Do you think that the NFPI was pleased with the outcome? Why or why not?

Explain what was at stake for the NFPI (and its membership) in this public policy matter.

Read the short article The Latest Symbol of Government Waste: Pizza. Explain the actions of the congressmen even
though their actions revealed their ignorance of the history that produced the situation they were decrying.