Food Safety Modernization Act

I wanted to make you aware that the comment period on the revised Food Safety Modernization Act is now open until December 15.  I have not reviewed the rules, but if you are interested in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s review and understanding of them, check out their website at http://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/.  It will give you the background of the rules and let you see if you will be affected or not.  I highly recommend that those of you engaged in direct marketing, or marketing of local foods to wholesale outlets, look through this website and dive into these rules more.

Oregon State University’s Center for Small Farms also has information, including how they commented on the first round of rules that were proposed in late 2013: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/node/175900.  The Organic Trade Association has comments here: http://www.organicnewsroom.com/2014/09/ota_encouraged_by_fda_revision.html.

From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: “Everyone has a role in ensuring safe food from field to fork. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the first major overhaul of our nation’s food safety practices since 1938, and it includes new regulations for produce farms and for facilities that process food for people to eat. It represents some big changes to our food system – and it is extremely important for the Food and Drug Administration to get these regulations right.”  http://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/

(by Mary Hendrickson, PhD Rural Sociology)