Food Safety Modernization Act Upcoming Webinar – Commenting Made Easy

When finalized, these rules will affect many Vermont vegetable and fruit growers – large and small.  UVM Extension, NOFA-Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture are hosting a webinar for farmers and others that will highlight the elements of a strong comment, give examples of potential talking points for different types of farms (focusing on alternatives to the proposed rules), and walk you through how to submit comments on the Federal Register site.

Space is limited.  Reserve your Webinar seat for November 4^th from 12 -1 pm now at:
www4.gotomeeting.com/register/173761087

PLEASE NOTE: The purpose of the webinar is NOT to explain the details of FSMA, but to help you submit your comments.  Please prepare yourself for the webinar ahead of time by using one of these resources to familiarize yourself with the proposed rules.

Resources:

• Webinar: American Farmland Trust (takes a couple minutes to load): www.farmland.org/programs/states/ma/Food-Safety-Modernization-Act.asp
• Factsheet by Vern Grubinger: www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/Understanding_FSMA_Rule.pdf
• More details: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition website (has information on Preventive Controls Rules as well for people who process food): sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/

Regardless of whether your farm falls in the “exempt” categories or not, we anticipate these rules will influence standards for what the marketplace expects of businesses selling to wholesale markets.  It is critical that the FDA hears from as many farmers, food hubs, and concerned consumers as possible so that the final rules take the voices of small-scale diversified farms and advocates of local food systems into account.  VAAFM highly encourages all growers, manufacturers, and anyone interested in fresh produce safety and manufacturing of human food to comment on the rules.