Posted December 10, 2013
USDA recently announced its termination of the proposed leafy green marketing agreement (LGMA) that would have allowed the industry to develop and oversee leafy green handling guidelines within limits set by the FDA and other regulators, according to an Agri-Pulse article available here.
USDA noted that the shift in policy was due to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, which will affect the leafy green industry. The department wrote, “This ongoing rulemaking may affect fundamental aspects of the leafy green vegetable marketing agreement program. As a result, it is appropriate to terminate the leafy green vegetable marketing agreement rulemaking proceeding at this time.” The Federal Register notice is available here.
Western Growers, a produce association based in Arizona and California, said it was “disappointed” with the decision. Tom Nassif, President and CEO of Western Growers, said he hopes “USDA can re-engage in food safety in a meaningful way and work constructively with reluctant parties to foster a culture and commitment to food safety.”
LGMA agreements will continue in California and Arizona, where they began in 2006. Food Safety News also reported on the story, here.
For more information on food safety, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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