Bob Ehart, senior policy and science advisor with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), spoke to farmers and ranchers during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2017 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). NASDA and AFBF simply want to ensure farmers have the tools needed to meet these guidelines.

“There’s a whole lot of detail in these rules. It’s going to be very difficult to figure out where you fit and what’s expected of you,” said Ehart. “There is a logic associated with it, it’s just not a farmer’s logic.”

Of course we all want safe food. Ehart said we have to get this right. As the law directs the creation of an integrated food-safety system in partnership with state and local authorities, Ehart goes on to detail NASDA’s concerns about the water-related FSMA produce rules.

NASDA is piloting an On-Farm Readiness Review funded by the FDA through cooperative grants. The voluntary program would allow farmers to bring a third-party inspector to their farm to determine how they would fare during a FSMA-related inspection. A detailed tool kit is also in the works including a checklist focusing on water, worker training, sanitation and wildlife.

Listen to his complete remarks detailing the implementation of the FSMA’s produce rules here: Remarks from Bob Ehart, NASDA

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 AFBF Annual Meeting Photos