In: Economics
The Food Safety Modernization Act is the largest reform to food safety laws in over 70 years. The Act shifts focus from responding to contamination to preventing it. ". What are some arguments that could convince people that "the produce industry is experiencing overwhelming regulations". ?
Prevention
For the first time, FDA will have a legislative mandate to require comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply. This mandate includes
Mandatory preventive controls for food facilities: Food
facilities are required to implement a written preventive controls
plan. This involves: (1) evaluating the hazards that could affect
food safety, (2) specifying what preventive steps, or controls,
will be put in place to significantly minimize or prevent the
hazards, (3) specifying how the facility will monitor these
controls to ensure they are working, (4) maintaining routine
records of the monitoring, and (5) specifying what actions the
facility will take to correct problems that arise. (Final rule due
18 months following enactment)
Mandatory produce safety standards: FDA must establish
science-based, minimum standards for the safe production and
harvesting of fruits and vegetables. Those standards must consider
naturally occurring hazards, as well as those that may be
introduced either unintentionally or intentionally, and must
address soil amendments (materials added to the soil such as
compost), hygiene, packaging, temperature controls, animals in the
growing area and water. (Final regulation due about 2 years
following enactment)
Authority to prevent intentional contamination:FDA must issue
regulations to protect against the intentional adulteration of
food, including the establishment of science-based mitigation
strategies to prepare and protect the food supply chain at specific
vulnerable points. (Final rule due 18 months following
enactment)
Inspection and Compliance
The FSMA recognizes that preventive control standards improve food safety only to the extent that producers and processors comply with them. Therefore, it will be necessary for FDA to provide oversight, ensure compliance with requirements and respond effectively when problems emerge. FSMA provides FDA with important new tools for inspection and compliance, including:
Mandated inspection frequency: The FSMA establishes a mandated
inspection frequency, based on risk, for food facilities and
requires the frequency of inspection to increase immediately. All
high-risk domestic facilities must be inspected within five years
of enactment and no less than every three years thereafter. Within
one year of enactment, the law directs FDA to inspect at least 600
foreign facilities and double those inspections every year for the
next five years.
Records access: FDA will have access to records, including industry
food safety plans and the records firms will be required to keep
documenting implementation of their plans.
Testing by accredited laboratories: The FSMA requires certain food
testing to be carried out by accredited laboratories and directs
FDA to establish a program for laboratory accreditation to ensure
that U.S. food testing laboratories meet high- quality
standards.
these are some arguments that could convince people that "the produce industry is experiencing overwhelming regulations".