FDA Releases “Toolkit with Resources for Farmers” Addressing FSMA Proposed Produce Safety Rule

On July 15, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted a “Toolkit with Resources for Farmers,” focusing on the proposed Produce Safety rule, under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) page of its website. The resources include factsheets on FSMA and the proposed Produce Safety rule, a diagram on how the rule applies to farmers, and an interview with Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael Taylor, as well as a number of other resources.

The proposed Produce Safety rule is designed to establish science-based standards for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding produce on farms. The rule covers most fruits and vegetables while they are in their raw or unprocessed state. It does not apply to raw agricultural commodities that are rarely consumed raw, like potatoes, or those produced for on-farm consumption or commercial processing such as canning. Some farms are exempted from the rule or are partially exempted based on the monetary value of the commodities they sell or based on to whom they sell.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2013 and was updated on February 13, 2013. The comment period for the proposed rule ends on September 16, 2013.

For more information, please see the FDA’s website on the proposed Produce Safety rule or its FSMA webpage.

Written by Sarah Doyle - Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

@PSUAgLawCenter

July 18, 2013