FSMA - Preventative Controls Rule and Your Farm/Food Business - Part 1

[Wes King]

Hi all, 

As many of you know a couple weeks ago, the FDA announced and published the final version of the Food Safety Modernization Act's (FSMA) Preventative Controls Rule the first of two major FSMA rules that will likely impact local food entrepreneurs and farmers fro decades to come.  Today the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition published a blog post that outlines who is subject to the FDA’s new FSMA food facilities rule: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/pc-rule-analysis-part-1/

While I have stressed it many times over the last several years I must once again stress that if you are in the business of growing, producing or manufacturing food becoming knowledgeable and up-to-date on FSMA and what the related rules say (Preventative Controls Rule and the Produce Rule) is an absolute must.

Furthermore, it is especially important for food hubs or farms doing value added products to be aware of this law and its potential impacts. 

The above post is the first in a multi-part series analyzing FDA’s recently released Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food, and the rules and requirements for farms and facilities that may fall under its purview. This first post addresses those farms and food enterprises that are exempt from the rule. 

Subsequent posts will look at facilities and farm mixed-type facilities that are partially exempt, are subject to modified requirements (and what those requirements entail), or are fully covered by the new rules.

Additional Information and Resources
In the near future, NSAC will be updating our website and “Am I Affected” flowchart to reflect the final rules, designed to help farmers, small food businesses – and the organizations that work with them – understand whether the FSMA rules apply to them and if so, what requirements apply.

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Wes King

Executive Director

Illinois Stewardship Alliance
"Local Food Matters"

217-528-1563

www.ilstewards.org

 
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