Complaints from farmers nationwide have encouraged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take the almost unheard of act of revising landmark food safety laws that were scheduled to take effect soon, reports AgriLife Today.
Dr. Juan Anciso, a horticulture specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, said the new rules on food safety are part of the proposed Food Safety Modernization Act signed into law in 2011, which was designed to reduce food-borne illnesses.
Farmers now have a second opportunity to provide input that might change the language on specifics before it is enacted. Comments can be made before the Dec. 15 deadline at http://www.regulations.gov/#!home.
“Growers who irrigate with river and other surface waters have a golden opportunity to voice their opinions about this revised irrigation rule that, if approved, will make production much less restrictive,” Anciso said. “They have only a few days to comment, so, because this is all about their livelihood, I strongly encourage them to do so as soon as possible.”