Before Implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act's Produce Rule: A Survey of U.S. Produce Growers

by Gregory Astill, Travis Minor, Linda Calvin, and Suzanne Thornsbury

The "Produce Rule" (PR), which began its phased implementation in January 2018, is an on-farm Food and Drug Administration regulation that sets specific disease-preventive requirements for produce that is sold and consumed raw in the United States. The report presents results of a 2015 and 2016 survey of produce growers about their microbial food safety practices before the PR’s implementation.

See related Amber Waves article: New Survey Results Highlight Variation in Food Safety Practices Prior to the Produce Rule.

See other relevant Amber Waves articles: The California Leafy Greens Industry Provides an Example of an Established Food Safety System and Outbreak Linked to Spinach Forces Reassessment of Food Safety Practices.

Keywords: food safety practices; microbial contamination; produce; produce growers; Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA); Produce Rule; Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption, Produce Grower Food Safety Practices Survey

In this publication...

• Entire Report
• Report summary