MADISON, Wis. -- The federal government is making food safety a high priority after scares involving salmonella in peanut butter and spinach and, in China, melamine in milk, according to a state official.

Rod Nilsestuen, the state's agriculture secretary, was in Washington, D.C., last week for a meeting of President Barack Obama's new Food Safety Working Group.

He said the federal government is looking to improve the food safety system and three major bills are pending in Congress to address the issue.

Nilsestuen said he sees a need for better communication between the 13 federal agencies that oversee food safety and state governments that handle most inspections and investigations.

He also said state and local governments need more money for food safety.