FDA holding public meeting on the Produce Safety Rule

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public meeting to discuss the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Produce Safety Proposed Rule.

The meeting will be held on April 4, 2014, in College Park, MD. The public scoping period for the EIS was first scheduled to end November 15, 2013, and was later extended to March 15, 2014. The public scoping period is again being extended to incorporate input from the upcoming public meeting.

FDA is inviting comment on whether there are other issues it should consider for in-depth analysis in the EIS and any alternatives related to these issues. Alternatives have been identified in areas where potential environmental impacts are likely.

The FDA anticipates that these alternatives would likely incorporate any significant issues resulting from revisions to the Produce Safety Proposed Rule or any Produce Safety final rule. Alternatives have been identified for the following key provisions: (1) microbial standard for agricultural water used during growing activities for covered produce (other than sprouts) using a direct water application method, (2) minimum application intervals for biological soil amendments of animal origin, (3) measures related to animal grazing and animal intrusion, and (4) scope of proposed rule and implications to land use and land management.