The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued two draft guidance documents to help farmers and fresh-cut produce processors better understand what they need to do to meet requirements established by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The first draft guidance is a compliance and implementation guide to assist growers with meeting the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule under FSMA. The rule requires domestic and foreign farms to put preventive measures in place during growing, harvesting, packing and holding of their fruits and vegetables to protect against contamination. Flexibility was built into the Produce Safety Rule to accommodate growing practices that vary by region and commodity, which is reflected in this guidance through examples to demonstrate how farmers can implement the rule’s requirements in various ways.
