FDA’s Proposed Food Safety Rule (FSMA), by Dave Colson (August 2013)
Download the FSMA Farmer Comment Template (Word document, 66K)
Guidelines for completing the comment process appear below. Download the Word template for complete details.
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FDA Food Safety Rules: Comment Today!
Farmers and processors MUST take action TODAY on the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rules! Why? Because these new rules force drastic changes to the food system, and we’re all affected by these new rules. The comment period has been extended to November 22.
The Process:
The US Food and Drug Administration has proposed new rules this year that will have a huge impact on how fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and processed in the US. This is a big deal for farmers and eaters! Everyone has a role in ensuring safe food from field to fork – but FDA’s new proposed rules as written will unfairly burden family farmers, target sustainable and organic farming, and reduce the availability of fresh, local food in our communities. Right now, we have a chance to tell FDA that this is unacceptable – and we need your help to do it.
FDA’s new food safety rules must:
- Allow farmers to use sustainable farming practices, including those already allowed and encouraged by existing federal organic standards and conservation programs.
- Ensure that diversified and innovative farms, particularly those pioneering models for increased access to healthy, local foods, continue to grow and thrive without being stifled.
- Provide options that treat family farms fairly, with due process and without excessive costs.
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Food Safety Modernization Act
Sample Farmer Commenting Template
Make Your Voice Heard: Submit a Comment to FDA Today!
The Food and Drug Administration will accept comments submitted online or through the mail. You can use the sample materials below to get started! It is important to personalize your comment – FDA will read every single submission, and unique comments have the most impact.
Step 1 – Get informed and determine how you may be affected by the rules – some farmers and processors may be eligible for exemptions or modified requirements, but even if so, the rules could still impact you! https://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/who-is-affected/
Step 2 – Customize the comment below for yourself! There are guiding questions to help you tell your story effectively to FDA. Remember that there is more detailed information online about each of the 10 issues here: https://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/learn-about-the-issues/. You can pick and choose – feel free to include in your comment letter whichever issues below are most important to you – all ten or just a few.
Step 3 – Submit your comment in TWO places – to the Produce Rule (https://bit.ly/fsma-pr) and to the Preventive Controls Rule (https://bit.ly/fsma-pcr). This is important because these issues affect both rules. You can get extra help, along with instructions for using regulations.gov and for mailing a comment here: (https://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/speak-out-today/).
Step 4 – Take a stand publicly and sign our FSMA petition! (https://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma) You can also find materials online to share via social media like Facebook to help spread the word!
