EAST LANSING, Mich. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the most sweeping legislation regarding raw agricultural products since 1938. The FDA has recently begun enforcing the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and it is extremely complex. In an effort to clarify requirements of the Produce Safety Rule, the FDA has released “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: Guidance for Industry” to industry. This draft guidance represents the current thinking of the FDA on how they will interpret the rule.
The draft guidance covers all aspects of the Produce Safety Rule except Section E, Agricultural Water. Public comment on this draft guidance is being accepted until April 22, 2019. Michigan State University Extension encourages looking into the guidance and commenting before the deadline. You can submit comments by submitting a comment online, faxing comments to the FDA at 301-827-6870 or mailing comments to:
Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852
When submitting comments either by post or email, include the Docket No. FDA-2018-D-3631.
As of Oct. 23, 2018, this guidance is proposed and not final. The final guidance regarding fresh produce may change, so it is important to stay aware of what the latest requirements are. It is also important that the FDA hears from you about possible costs associated with compliance or potential impacts to production. Read more about the FSMA Rule and how to constructively comment on the proposed guidance.
Michigan State University Extension will be offering two grower trainings in Michigan this fall: one on Nov. 7 in Dundee and again on Dec. 6 in Grand Rapids. More will be offered beginning in January 2019. For more information or to register, visit: 2018 Fall Grower Produce Safety Course.
The FSMA Produce Safety Rule grower training covers a broad swath of produce safety. Topic areas include worker health and hygiene, water quality in pre-harvest and post-harvest environments, crop inputs and wildlife. Much of this training will help reinforce what growers already know and practice on their farms. Training doesn’t, and shouldn’t, end with the grower on a farm. A robust food safety culture on-farm depends on regular training of farm workers as well as continuing education at conferences and field days.
If you have difficulty tailoring good agricultural practices (GAPs) to your farm or would like to enroll in a grower training, contact the Agrifood Safety Work Group at gaps@msu.edu or 517-788-4292.
Funding for this article was made possible, in part, by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in the written materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies if the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does any mention of trade names, commercial practices or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.
— Phillip Tocco, Michigan State University
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