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Comment: NSAC Responds to House Passage of FY 2023 Agriculture Spending Bill

June 23, 2022

“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds the House Appropriations Committee members for voting to support robust funding for Conservation Operations and a significant increase in Conservation Technical Assistance that farmers and ranchers need to adopt new conservation practices that improve the sustainability and profitability of their family farms.”… Read More →

Filed Under: Budget and Appropriations, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Press Releases, Rural Development

COMMENT: NSAC Responds to the FDA’s Proposed Rule Regarding the Agricultural Water Provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act

December 2, 2021

NSAC issued a comment in response to the FDA’s proposed rule published today that would revise the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule to change certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce other than sprouts… Read More →

Filed Under: Food Safety, Press Releases

WHAT THE NEW FDA RULE MEANS FOR FARMS: PART 2

December 10, 2020

Photo shows a harvest of baby-lettuce leaves. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung…. Read More →

Filed Under: Carousel, Food Safety

What the New FDA Rule Means for Farms: Part 1

December 1, 2020

Almost a decade ago, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), along with thousands of farmers, asked Congress to make sure the new food safety measures in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) worked for sustainable and organic farmers. Farmers were particularly concerned with the FSMA provisions around extensive traceability and recordkeeping. Fortunately, Congress listened to […]

Filed Under: Carousel, Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems

FDA’s Draft Guidance: How to Comply with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule

April 11, 2019

The Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule is complex. There are still questions about how it will be enforced for the first time and the required actions and tools farms need to comply. Some of these questions might be answered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Draft Guidance on the Produce Safety […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule: An Inspection Preview

March 5, 2019

Food safety inspections on produce farms are beginning this month, but there are still questions as to what the first round of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule inspections will look like. The fact that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be regulating farms for the first time is concerning for many […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

Is My Operation a “Qualified Facility” Under FDA’s Preventive Controls Rules?

September 21, 2018

Are you a small food business owner interested in a partial exemption from some of the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules? Under the Preventive Controls Rules for Human and Animal Food, a “qualified facility” is exempt from the Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls (HARPC) and the Supply Chain Program requirements. Recently, the […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, General Interest

Update: Food Safety Modernization Act Exemptions

April 3, 2018

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published updated information for producers and small businesses trying to determine whether and to what extent they may be impacted by FDA’s new food safety rules. Exemptions to the Food Safety Modernization Act If you recall from our previous posts about FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

FDA Helps Businesses Assess FSMA Coverage Based on Sales

May 10, 2017

For farms and small businesses trying to determine whether and to what extent they may be impacted by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new food safety rules, FDA has recently published an informative website where producers can get some added assistance. If you recall from our previous posts about FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Grants and Programs

Food and Drug Administration to Simplify FSMA Water Standard

March 23, 2017

Easily the most confusing aspect of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new food safety regulations for produce farms are the requirements relating to agricultural water use. Even with the extra time that FDA has given for producers to come into compliance with the new standards, farmers and educators alike continue to struggle with understanding […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

Does my farm have to register with FDA? 2017 Update

February 24, 2017

Over two years ago, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) reported on a proposed rule by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would impact whether local food businesses and value-added producers had to register with FDA as “food facilities.” Since that time, FDA has finalized two rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

GAO Reports on FSMA Implementation; Plans Needed for Evaluating Impacts on Farmers

November 30, 2016

With the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations now finalized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the process of implementation is underway.  As part of the implementation process, FDA has the responsibility to field and respond to concerns from farmers and food businesses, and to evaluate the impact of the rules on farmers […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

Additional Guidance On the FSMA Farm Definition: Farm vs. Facility Activities

October 4, 2016

Under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), not all farms are created equal. Some farms are just farms, and fall under one set of new rules, while other farms (farm mixed-type facilities to be exact) are also deemed to be facilities and fall under an additional set of rules. As of […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems

States Receive $22 Million for FSMA Produce Rule Implementation

September 13, 2016

With FDA’s new food safety rules finalized and compliance clocks ticking, one of most common questions we hear is: who is going to be enforcing these new rules on farms, and how? While many of the details surrounding how exactly the rules will be implemented remain uncertain, last week FDA took a step toward answering […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems

FDA Extends Compliance Deadlines for New Food Safety Rules

August 31, 2016

This fall, many food and farm operations subject to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FMA) Preventive Controls Rule were expected to be coming into compliance with the new food safety requirements for food facilities. However, with significant confusion persisting, particularly over whether a farm is or is not a facility […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems

FSMA Facility Registration Requirements Clarified for Local Food Producers

July 14, 2016

After years of ambiguity and confusion, farmers and small food enterprises primarily selling value-added products directly to consumers finally have some much-needed clarity on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements for food facility registration. On July 14, 2016, FDA finally finalized its Preventive Controls Rule, clarifying that small farms […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

FDA Final Rule Provides Needed Clarity for Local Food Producers

July 13, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sophia Kruszewski, 810-441-9947 Ferd Hoefner, 202-547-5754   FDA Final Rule Provides Needed Clarity for Local Food Producers Washington, D.C., July 13, 2016 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes the issuance of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) final rule amending the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements for food […]

Filed Under: Food Safety, Press Releases

Comprehensive verification toolkit is needed domestically, too

June 14, 2016

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared as an Op-Ed piece in Food Safety News (FSN) on June 11, 2016. The piece was written by NSAC Policy Staffer, Sophia Kruszewski in response to a June 6, 2016 piece by FSN Editor, Dan Flynn.  Dan Flynn’s June 6 article in Food Safety News, “Third-party auditor certification: Not the only tool […]

Filed Under: General Interest

Seven Major FSMA Rules Now Final

June 1, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently finalized two of the remaining major rules required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): one governing shippers, carriers, and any other entity involved in transporting food (the “Transport Rule”), and another overseeing intentional acts of adulteration in the food supply (the “Intentional Adulteration Rule”). These […]

Filed Under: Food Safety

GAO Report Calls for Timeline to Update USDA Biotechnology Regulations

April 25, 2016

As a growing list of genetically engineered plant and animal crops enter the marketplace with minimal, if any, regulation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is urging USDA to set a clear timeline for updating its biotechnology regulations. In a report released on April 14, 2016, GAO cautioned: […]

Filed Under: Competition & Anti-trust, Conservation, Energy & Environment, Research, Education & Extension

Give NSAC the Scoop on Your On-Farm Manure Usage

April 22, 2016

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and our members are surveying produce farmers to better understand how they use and apply untreated or raw manure on their farms. Between now and June 3, 2016, we are collecting anonymous information to develop comments for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to aid in their development of […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety, Local & Regional Food Systems, Organic

GroupGAP Offers Affordable Certification Option for Small and Mid-sized Farms

April 5, 2016

GAP (short for “good agricultural practices) certification is a USDA audit program… Read More →

Filed Under: Food Safety, Grants and Programs, Local & Regional Food Systems

Do FDA’s New Food Safety Rules Apply to Your Farm or Food Business?

February 22, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently finalized two new food safety rules under the FSMA… Read More →

Filed Under: Food Safety, General Interest

New Guidebook Helps Farmers Promote Conservation and Food Safety at the Same Time

January 15, 2016

A brand new handbook by NSAC member organization Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) explains how farmers can implement conservation activities while also complying with new food safety regulations. The guidebook, entitled Co-Managing Farm Stewardship with Food Safety GAPs and Conservation Practices, A Grower and Conservationist’s Guidebook, addresses the misconception that conservation efforts, such as installing buffers […]

Filed Under: Conservation, Energy & Environment, Food Safety

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