Seventy-Nine Percent of Farms Exempt From Food Safety Rules


Produce industry experts say there are no big surprises in the proposed rules for food safety. However, they do say that they are surprised by the exemption of an estimated 79 percent of growers.


The FDA estimates that only 40,211 produce farms and 285 sprout farms are fully covered and would have to "implement all of the standards outlined in the proposed rule." Extrapolating from FDA's calculations, these farms likely produce about 85 percent of the produce responsible for causing foodborne illnesses.

Produce Marketing Association lobbyist Tom O'Brien said he thinks the scope of the exemptions will become "more controversial" as people realize just how widely they will apply.

While the vast majority of farms will likely be exempt from the rule when it takes effect, which will happen in a few years, the FDA estimated there will be significant costs and benefits to the entire marketplace.



Even farms that are exempt would incur some costs for learning the contents of the rule and figuring out which parts may or may not apply to them. For example, if a farm qualifies for an exemption because they grow potatoes or because they grow tomatoes that are primarily processed into canned tomato sauce, it would still need to keep documentation on which company received its product.


Source: foodsafetynews.com