FDA to prepare EIS on proposed produce safety rule

FDA issued the Federal Register Proposed Rule "Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Rule, Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption"

FDA is also announcing the beginning of a 'scoping process,' which is designed to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis. Comments are due by November 15, 2013 ..." - The FDA proposed rule on produce safety is intended to "... establish science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of ... fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption [but] would not apply to produce that is rarely consumed raw, produce for personal or on-farm consumption, or produce that is not a raw agricultural commodity ..."