POLICY UPDATE ON FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT


CAFF Update on FSMA
TODAY, Dave Runsten, Policy Director, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), a non-profit organization that advocates for California’s family farmers and sustainable agriculture, posted the following FSMA Policy Update:

The comment period on FDA’s proposed rules for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is now closed. Almost 20,000 comments were submitted to FDA. Most agricultural organizations joined in calling for another draft rule and further comments, given how much disagreement there was with some of FDA’s proposals. We will now wait and see if the FDA takes this good advice.

Here in California, we continue to work on a series of legislative bills that limit the food safety requirements for small producers and in many cases, allow them to self-certify and avoid inspections and audits.

This effort began with the cottage food bill in 2012, and continued with the CSA bill in 2013. Additionally, it will be taken up in several bills in 2014, including those on reforming farmers’ markets, allowing small-scale sales of raw milk, and setting rules for urban gardens.

Our goal is to create sensible and low-cost food safety best practices for producers not subject to the federal rules, allowing beginning farmers and direct marketing to continue to flourish in California.

We also continue to offer free assistance to farmers on food safety. 

Labels: , , ,