The fight over fight safety continues. The Senate’s food safety bill, S.510, has been temporarily delayed, but it is still expected to be voted on by the Senate sometime this month. The good news is that Senator Hagan (D-NC) has now joined Senator Tester (D-MT) on the amendments to exempt small-scale processors and direct-marketing farmers from the worst burdens of the bill. We owe a big thank you to both Senator Tester and Senator Hagan!
More information on the amendments is available at: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/food_safety_bills_09
Please stay tuned. When the bill is close to a vote, we will need everyone to call their Senators AGAIN to support these amendments to protect our farmers and food sources!
FDA Seeks Comments on Produce Safety Standards
Although the bill has not yet passed, FDA is starting to work on the regulations to govern how farms grow and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables. FDA is taking written comments until May 24, 2010.
TAKE ACTION
1) Submit comments online:
*Go to http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480aab8f1 *Click on “submit comment” on the upper right hand portion of the page
2) Submit comments by Mail:
The Division of Dockets Management , HFA-305, Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, Maryland 20852
Be sure to include the docket number --- FDA-2010-N-0085 – on your comments
3) Pennsylvania farmers and consumers: FDA is holding a listening session in Harrisburg on May 13: WHEN: May 13, 2010, from 9 am – noon
WHERE: Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA.
WHAT: FDA Deputy Commissioner, Michael Taylor, and other FDA staff will be present. The session will include an industry panel and an open comment period for those in the audience.
ATTEND: The public is welcome to attend. PDA asks that people pre-register so they can ensure accommodations for all participants. Email Jared Grissinger – jgrissinge@state.pa.us.
MORE INFORMATION
At the San Antonio, Texas listening session, a farm intern videotaped the public's comments. Check them out:
Video of Judith McGeary, Executive Director of FARFA:
(http://www.youtube.com/user/FarmAndRanchFreedom#p/a/u/0/pmhn_NKgFs8)
Video of Brad Stufflebeam, Farmer and Activist :
(http://www.youtube.com/user/FarmAndRanchFreedom#p/u/1/H2CAwgH3zo4)
Below are the specific issues that FDA is seeking comments on:
• Role of the good agricultural practice guidelines entitled ``Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables'' (GAPs Guide, Ref. 6);
• Standards for domestic and foreign growers and packers;
• Identification and prioritization of risk factors;
• Environmental assessment of hazards and possible pathways of contamination;
• The impact of scale of growing operations on the nature and degree of possible food safety hazards;
• Methods to tailor preventive controls to particular hazards and conditions affecting an operation;
• Possible approaches to tailoring preventive controls to the scale of an operation so that the controls achieve an appropriate level of food safety protection and are feasible for a wide range of large and small operations;
• Coordination of produce food safety practices and sustainable and/or organic production methods;
• Coordination of produce food safety practices and environmental and/or conservation goals or practices;
• Coordination of produce food safety practices and Federal, State, local and tribal government statutes and regulations;
• Microbial testing;
• Post-harvest operations and the role of the current good manufacturing practices in 21 CFR part 110;
• Records and other documentation that would be useful to industry and regulators in ensuring the safety of fresh produce; and
• Strategies to enhance compliance.
• Any other issues or concerns you would like to bring to FDA’s attention
For a list of current FDA guidance on fresh produce, click here: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/FruitsVeg...