The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, M.D.,outlined the immediate next steps in ensuring the successful implementation of the Produce Safety Rule established by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Dr. Gottlieb recognized a need for additional efforts to educate the produce industry and state regulatory partners on the new produce safety requirements, and will continue its focus on training, guidance development, and outreach over the next year.
The next steps addressed the following topics:
- Agricultural Water Compliance Dates
- Stakeholder Engagement on Agricultural Water Standards
- Water Testing Methods
- Produce Farm Inspections
- Training Opportunities for Producers and Regulators