Food Safety Modernization Act

Produce Rule

COMMISSIONERSID MILLER

Produce Safety Rule ØBackgroundØPublicHealthImpactØTexasDepartmentofAgricultureRole

ØCoverageofRuleØProductsnotcoveredØStandardforProduceSafetyØEducationØRegistration

BackgroundØFoodSafetyModernizationAct2011

ØFDAissuedproposedruleonJan.16,2013.

ØFDAissuedsupplementalnoticeofproposedrulemakingonSept.29,2014.

ØFinalcommentperiodclosedonDecember15,2014.

ØDifferencesbetweenGAP

Public Health ImpactØ Expecteddecreaseinillnessfrom

microbialcontaminationofproduce(RIA)• 362,059illnessesperyear• Valuedat$976millionperyear

Ø FDAoutbreaksurveillancedatafrom1996-2014forproduce-relatedoutbreaks(QAR)• 173outbreaks• 17,226illnesses• 68deaths

Texas Department of Agriculture Role

Ø FDACooperativeAgreement

ØEducation

ØOnFarmreviews

ØNewProgramatTDA– StaffinAustinand8regionalProduceSafetyOutreachSpecialist

ØVisitwww.texasagriculture.gov

Coverage of RuleCovers• Domesticandimportedproduce• ProduceforhumanconsumptionDoesnotcover• Produceforpersonaloron-farmconsumption• Certainspecifiedproducerarelyconsumedraw• Farmswithproducesalesof≤$25,000peryearEligibleforexemption(withmodifiedrequirements)• Producethatwillreceivecommercialprocessing

(“kill-step”orotherprocessthatadequatelyminimizeshazards)

• Qualifiedexemption

Products NOT Covered by Produce Rule• Manufacturing/processingthatgoesbeyondactivitieswithinthefarmdefinition

• Examplesinclude:– Pittingdriedplums,choppingherbs

–Makingsnackchipsfromlegumes

Standard for Produce SafetyFocusonconditionsandpracticesidentifiedaspotentialcontributingfactorsformicrobialcontamination• Agriculturalwater• Biologicalsoilamendmentsofanimalorigin• Workerhealthandhygiene• Equipment,tools,buildingsandsanitation• Domesticatedandwildanimals• Growing,harvesting,packingandholding

activities• Sproutsrequirements

Education and Outreach

ØEducationfirst

ØProduceSafetyAlliance

ØPartnershipswithUniversityofHouston

ØPartnershipwithTexasAgriLife

TDA Farm Inventory Survey

Ø Completingthefarminventorysurveyispartoftheproducerule

Ø TDAcanshareinformationabouteducationandtrainingopportunities

Ø TDAcanshareupdatestotheFoodSafetyModernizationAct– ProduceRule

Ø TDAcanshareinformationonwhatisgoingonaroundthecountrythatmayhaveanimpactonyourfarm

Ø Completingthesurveydoesnotmeanyouarenotexempt

ContactInformationRichardDeLosSantos512-463-7472

ReneNieto512-463-7439

Email:ProduceSafety@TexasAgriculture.gov