NOTE – The comment period for the Produce Rule has been extended for the final time, comments are due to the FDA by November 15, 2013. Comments can be made here.
United Fresh held a webinar featuring David Gombus on Tuesday August 13, 2013 focusing on what we know about the Food Safety Modernization Act and how it may affect businesses. The webinar was recorded and is available online at United Fresh.
Here is an overview of the key points that David made during the webinar:
Produce Rule
• United Fresh feels that water regulation in the produce rule is the biggest issue for growers
• Exclusions that apply to farms that are set in stone
Producers of products that are rarely consumed raw
Producers of products that are commercially processed
Very small business’s that have less than $25,000 a year in food sales
• Over 1,000 comments have been made so far to the produce rule.
Preventive Controls Rule
• The FDA needs a better definition of farm and a clearer separation between produce safety and preventive controls
• Farms that must comply with the Preventive Controls rule will need a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Plan (HACCP)
General
• The FDA will be discussing the following at the Washington Public Policy Conference on October 2nd in Washington D.C.
What is the FDA hearing regarding FSMA?
What are they learning from ongoing outbreak and recall investigations?
What are their findings from inspection and testing of cantaloupes?
What are their domestic testing findings?
Do they intend to implement fees for foods that they regulate?
• The assumption is that the animal feed rule will not affect most produce growers, unless the produce culls are going into animal feed…
• The Foreign Supplier Rule and the Accredited 3rd Party Certification rule are open for comment until November 16,2013.
