The California Department of Food and Agriculture will host two listening sessions on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Proposed Fresh Produce and Preventive Control Rules.

The Proposed Fresh Produce Rule will be presented on Tuesday, April 9, in Tulare, and both the Proposed Fresh Produce and Preventive Control Rules will be presented on Thursday, April 11, in Woodland.

The listening sessions are sponsored by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF); California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF); Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF); and Western Growers Association (WGA).

The listening sessions are scheduled as follows:

• April 9: Proposed Fresh Produce Rule from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the International Agri-Center, 4500 S. Laspina St., Tulare, CA 93274.
• April 11: Proposed Fresh Produce Rule from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Proposed Preventive Controls Rule from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Heidrick Ag History Center, 1962 Hays Lane, Woodland, CA 95776.

The FDA FSMA was signed into law by President Obama on Jan. 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to incidents to preventing them.

On Jan. 4, 2013, FDA issued two major proposed FSMA rules regarding preventive controls in human food and produce safety.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture will be hosting public listening sessions in California concerning the two proposed rules.

The purpose of the listening sessions will be to provide industry an overview of the proposed rules, solicit comments, respond to questions, and inform the public about the rulemaking process.

Invited speakers include: Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for Foods & Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food & Drug Administration; Dr. Jeff Farrar, director of Intergovernmental Affairs & Partnerships, Office of Foods & Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food & Drug Administration; Barbara Cassens, ‪senior advisor/acting director, Office of Partnerships, U.S. Food & Drug Administration; Sandra Schubert, undersecretary, CDFA; James R. Gorny, Ph.D., senior advisor for Produce Safety, U.S. Food & Drug Administration; Jenny Scott, senior advisor, Office of Food Safety, U.S. Food & Drug Administration; Rick S. Jensen, director, Division of Inspection Services, CDFA; and, Patrick Kennelly, chief, Food Safety Section, California Department of Public Health.

For more information about the FSMA listening sessions, including agenda and registration, visit www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/fsma.html .

Due to limited space you must preregister; there is no cost for registration.