The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing $30.9 million in funding to support 43 states in their continued efforts to help implement the Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) produce safety rule. The funds represent the largest total of grants made available by the FDA to support compliance with the rule, which seeks to update and strengthen the FDA’s risk-based approach to the oversight of food safety. FDA says the produce safety rule establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption, and reflects feedback that the FDA received from thousands of public commenters. The $30.9 million grants follow last year’s grant funding by FDA of $21.8 million. Grant award information can be found on FDA dot gov.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.