FDA Releases Comprehensive Draft Guidance for Farms Subject to Produce Safety Rules

The Food and Drug Administration issued a new draft guidance document intended to help farms comply with its produce safety regulations. “The draft guidance provides a broad range of recommendations on how to meet the requirements for most subparts of the rule,” the agency said. “It also outlines how to determine whether produce or farms may be eligible for exemptions from certain requirements, or from the rule in its entirety.” FDA intends to hold a series of public meetings to discuss the draft guidance before its finalized, and will announce the meetings in separate Federal Register notices, it said. Comments on the draft guidance are due April 22, 2019.