FDA Finalizes New Compliance Dates for Agricultural Water Requirements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its final rule and the new compliance dates for the agricultural water requirements in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Larger farms are now required to comply with the agricultural water requirements by January 26, 2022, while small farms have until January 26, 2023, and very small farms until January 26, 2024. This rule does not change the compliance dates for sprout operations. The FDA intends to use the time until compliance to work with stakeholders to address these concerns. FDA remains firmly committed to incorporating lessons learned from these recent outbreaks, and to using the best science available to help minimize the risk that produce can become contaminated. As we continue to work with stakeholders on issues raised regarding the agricultural water requirements, FDA strongly encourages farms to ensure that water is suitable for its intended use and to continue using good agricultural practices to maintain and protect the quality of their water sources. Farms are responsible for ensuring that the food they produce is not adulterated. @ https://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm633483.htm?utm_campaign=Agricultural%20Water%20Provisions_3_15_2019%20Email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua