As part of the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released proposed regulations for facilities that process animal food last fall. The draft regulations propose to establish Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls (HARPC) requirements for animal food facilities. The public comment […]
Food Safety
House and Senate Consider USDA Funding Requests
The House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees held a total of four hearings this week to examine the Obama Administration’s FY 2015 Budget Request. The House Subcommittee heard testimony from the heads of two USDA mission areas—Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNS), and Research, Education and Economics (REE)—as well as the Food and Drug Administration […]
NSAC, Farmers Partner to Advocate on Sustainable Agriculture Funding
This week, a dozen family farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates from eight states traveled to Washington, DC to share their stories with the members of Congress who will decide on the coming year’s agricultural budget. In meetings Wednesday and Thursday, farmers called upon their legislators to invest in a more sustainable food and farm future […]
Environmental Impacts of Produce Safety Regulations
Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended the comment period on the scoping process for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that is part of the agency’s process for developing new produce safety regulations. The original deadline for submitting comments on the environmental impact scoping process was November 15, 2013, but FDA extended the […]
NSAC Submits Coexistence Comments to USDA
Yesterday, NSAC submitted comments to USDA in response to a request for information about how farmers who raise genetically engineered (GE) crops and those who don’t can better coexist as neighbors. NSAC’s was one of the over 4,000 comments that were submitted on the topic by yesterday’s deadline. The challenges associated with coexistence have significant […]
What Does the President’s 2015 Budget Mean for Sustainable Agriculture?
President Obama sent his budget proposal for 2015 to Capitol Hill yesterday. The overall spending number in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year (FY) would match the two-year budget deal Congress reached last year, though the President also includes an aspirational $56 billion add-on, which he calls the Opportunity, Growth, and Security (OGS) […]
FDA Settles Lawsuit over FSMA Rules
Background The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) became law in January of 2011. FSMA directed FDA to complete the corresponding rule-making process by the following year. It is not unusual for Congress to include in statute very aggressive time frames for rulemaking. In this instance, as it became increasingly clear that FDA could not possibly […]
FDA Talks to Congress about FSMA Implementation
This week, two events took place on the Hill focused on the ongoing implementation process of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Mike Taylor, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, who is leading the implementation of FSMA, served as the primary FDA representative at both events. Briefing on […]
What is in the 2014 Farm Bill For Sustainable Farms and Food Systems?
At the start of this long and twisted farm bill reauthorization process, NSAC released an ambitious farm bill platform with the goal of expanding opportunities for family farmers to produce good food, sustain the environment, and contribute to vibrant communities. Reflecting input from sustainable and organic farmers, rural and urban communities, and food entrepreneurs, the […]
Congress Outlines 2014 Funding Package
Update: Both the House and Senate passed the omnibus package this week, and the President is expected to sign the bill shortly. For a detailed breakdown of the funding levels provided in the bill, see our updated appropriations chart. On Monday, January 13, House and Senate appropriators released the text of the fiscal year (FY) 2014 […]
FDA Announces Plan to Revise Food Safety Rules
FDA has announced that it will be seeking additional public comment on revised portions of its new rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Mike Taylor, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, cited the volume of feedback from concerned farmers, researchers, and consumers as influencing FDA’s conclusion that the rules were in […]
Mixed Reactions to New FDA Regulations for Antibiotic Use
FDA has released new regulations intended to combat antibiotic resistance by curbing the use of medically important antibiotics in livestock production. The voluntary guidance to drug manufacturers and livestock producers would phase out the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion, currently a common practice in the livestock industry, and a new proposed rule would require […]
USDA Terminates Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) terminated the process for developing a national leafy greens marketing agreement (NLGMA). In 2009, members of the produce industry petitioned AMS to begin a process for establishing a national agreement modeled off of existing state-based agreements in California and Arizona. Under the proposal, farmers […]
Congress Weighs in on Proposed Food Safety Regulations
With the close of the public comment period for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed regulations on produce safety and preventive controls for facilities that manufacture human food, Congress submitted a number of letters to FDA on important issues in the proposed rules. House Organic Caucus Sends Letter on Manure and Compost Requirements The […]
Food Safety Rule Campaign Ends with a Bang
Today marks the end of a major step in the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): the public comment period for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed food safety rules — for produce safety (Produce Rule) and for facilities that manufacture food for human consumption (Preventive Controls Rule) — closes today. Since […]
Guest Post: Biodiversity and Conservation Enhance Food Safety
We’ve been talking a lot here at NSAC about the problems FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rules pose for sustainable agriculture. One of our biggest concerns is with how those rules treat on-farm conservation practices. Our friends at Wild Farm Alliance have put together some great information about sustainable practices that protect both the […]
Top 10 Reasons for Farmers, Consumers, and Organizations to Weigh in on Proposed Food Safety Rules
NOTE: This Top 10 has been updated for 2014! Check it out on our blog. With just over one month remaining in the public comment period, now is the time for stakeholders to weigh in on the Food and Drug Administration’s proposed Food Safety Modernization Act regulations. The ongoing federal government shutdown at this time […]
It’s Time to Fix FDA’s Proposed Food Safety Regulations
Today, NSAC launched a campaign to improve deeply flawed federal food safety regulations that will have a huge impact on farmers and the availability of high-quality local food products. The NSAC campaign provides farmers, concerned consumers, and farm, food, and public health organizations with information and resources to be able to effectively comment on the […]
CDC: “unnecessary and inappropriate” antibiotic use in livestock production linked to antibiotic resistant infections
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2013 draws attention to the harmful public health effects caused by the overuse of antibiotics, particularly in American livestock production. Antibiotics are used therapeutically in animal agriculture to treat disease, but also non-therapeutically to prevent disease and promote growth. […]
Release: FDA Still Sitting on Rule for Local Food Farmers
FDA Still Sitting on Rule for Local Food Farmers On the heels of its release of two new proposed rules for imported food, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given no indication of when it plans to implement a critical piece of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) meant to clarify rules for local […]
Food Safety Comment Deadline Extended; NSAC Releases FSMA Issue Analysis for Farmers
Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new proposed regulations detailing standards for food safety on produce farms and in facilities that process food for people to eat. The rules are not yet final, and FDA is seeking comments from producers, processors, and stakeholders to help shape the final rules before […]
Smithfield Merger Scrutinized in Senate Hearing
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing yesterday, entitled, “Smithfield and Beyond: Examining Foreign Purchases of American Food Companies” to evaluate the proposed purchase of Smithfield Foods by the Shuanghui Group, a Chinese-based conglomerate. If finalized, this acquisition would be the largest purchase of a U.S. corporation by a Chinese company. In advance of the […]
Legislation Introduced to Restrict Antibiotics in Livestock
Late last week, Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to limit the use of antibiotics in livestock production. If enacted, the “Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act of 2013” would direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict the use of antibiotics critical to human health in livestock production unless they are used to treat clinically diagnosable […]
Senators Raise Food Safety, Security Concerns About Smithfield Purchase
Yesterday, Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Thad Cochran (R-MS), ranking member of the Committee, delivered a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury that laid out concerns with the proposed purchase of Smithfield Foods by a Chinese-based conglomerate – the Shuanghui Group. Smithfield Farms is the world’s largest producer and […]