Fresh produce inspections by FDA resumed during the shutdown

The FDA plans to resume inspections of high-risk food facilities, which include leafy greens and other fresh-cut processing plants on January 15. The FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced, via tweet, the resumption of inspection during the government shutdown. A sampling of products at U.S. ports of entry began again on Jan. 14, he said. “This was a major functional accomplishment amidst one of the biggest operational challenges in FDA’s modern history and it was fully enabled by the leadership of FDA’s field force and the colleagues who serve the country on the front lines of that mission,” he tweeted. “The ongoing federal government shutdown has no effect on the on-farm food safety audits conducted through the California and Arizona LGMA programs,” according to a blog post by California LGMA Marketing Director April Ward on the group’s website. “The LGMA programs utilize state agricultural auditors and the audits are funded by industry. In the Winter, Arizona, and California produce almost all of the leafy greens grown in the U.S., so farm food safety audits continue and are not affected by the shutdown.” According to the Packer, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has scheduled a Congressional Food Safety Caucus at 2 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 16. A panel of food safety activists will discuss how the shutdown is affecting the ability of FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct food safety inspections and other activities. @ https://www.thepacker.com/article/fda-resumes-fresh-produce-inspections-during-shutdown?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTlRaak1EaGlOVFZpTVRJeCIsInQiOiJ0cmMyREFTallEMnVSdFNjNlwvZ05POFZWSktXdGoxVllNdlwvd2Y1ekVPdDloY2xvSUNcL2xyWGtteXhrXC83NnJOcmJ6ckhhU2lXWGI5VHdCOXEwRWdxdkczZUs1RXJJTkl1UVE5THdqaXRaaGNhTGJnekhjZ09zNTNYVGxDNEFpbUMifQ%3D%3D