By Barbara Patterson, NFU Director of Government Relations 

Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2010. It will require many producers to comply with new regulations if they grow food for human or animal consumption. The regulations are intended to protect consumers from food-borne illness.

Many producers who will be regulated by FSMA have not been subject to regulation before. In some instances, the regulations may be very complicated. National Farmers Union Foundation (NFUF) is working to ensure regulated producers are able to comply with the new regulations through the Local Food Safety Collaborative. The first step is to execute an effective education campaign is to understand the needs of producers who may be impacted.

To better understand what farmers need to know about food safety regulations and how best to reach them, NFUF recently launched a survey. Survey participation is voluntary and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. After completion, participants may elect to enter personal information to be entered into a raffle for one of twenty $100 gift cards. Information gained through the survey will be shared with the broader food safety community, and responses will not be attributable to specific individuals.

The survey is available at www.localfoodsafety.org/survey.

Are you unsure whether FSMA regulations will impact your farm? Please complete the survey and share your experience and impressions in the comments below.


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