Helpful links and Resources about FSMA and
the Produce Safety Rule.
If you need more information on FSMA and the Produce Safety Rule, we have provided a number of helpful links and resources related to FSMA, the law and the Produce Safety Rule. Most of these helpful links are either government sites or academic sites. But you will be getting information direct from the source. We hope these are helpful as you navigate the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
Why the new law?
About 48 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from food-borne diseases, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant public health burden that is largely preventable.
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it. Congress enacted FSMA in response to dramatic changes in the global food system and in our understanding of foodborne illness and its consequences, including the realization that preventable foodborne illness is both a significant public health problem and a threat to the economic well-being of the food system.
FDA has finalized seven major rules to implement FSMA, recognizing that ensuring the safety of the food supply is a shared responsibility among many different points in the global supply chain for both human and animal food. The FSMA rules are designed to make clear specific actions that must be taken at each of these points to prevent contamination.
The Produce Safety Rule is one of the rules and the focus of our Produce Safety Plan.
For more information on FSMA and the Produce Safety Rule, click on the following links:
Produce Safety Rule Links
- FDA website for the specific law:
- FAQ’s About FSMA from the FDA
- Produce Safety Rule. Produce Safety Alliance: developed & implements training curriculum for growers. Good authority on the Produce Safety Rule.
- Produce Safety Rule Compliance Dates and Timelines – (Produce Safety Alliance)
- Records Required by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (Produce Safety Alliance)
- Understanding the FSMA Produce Safety Rule for ‘Exempt Produce Farms’ – A webinar by the PSA to help smaller growers who may be exempt understand the importance of food safety regardless of their exempt status.
Agricultural Water:
Please NOTE: Subpart E of the Produce Safety Rule, The Agricultural Water provision, has been put on hold as the FDA reviews the requirements of the Subpart and make possible changes. While the review is ongoing, the regulations for the AG Water are on hold. However, it is still wise agricultural practices to continue to monitor your water; have it tested for quality so you have an idea what your baseline quality is; monitor your water system annually; and keep your system maintained. Safe produce is important regardless of regulations.
• FDA Considering Simplifying Agricultural Water Standards
• Water Compliance Extended Dates Clarification by Dr. Trevor Suslow, US Davis Feb.23,2018
• Proposed Extension of AG Water Compliance Dates – Federal Registry
• Equivalent Testing Methods for AG Water – FDA added more testing methods than the one in the original law language. This is a list of the accepted methods.