The federal government has released the final version of food safety regulations designed to protect against large, deadly outbreaks of foodborne illness, rules. Yakima Valley growers say they already largely abide by but will still cost them money.
Under the rules, the Food and Drug Administration will have new oversight over farms, making sure workers wash their hands, irrigation water is monitored and animals do not leave droppings in fields.
The new regulations could drive up costs for growers, said Kate Woods, vice president of the Northwest Horticultural Council, a Yakima-based group that represents the tree fruit industry in matters of federal policy. However, she and other industry officials need more time to figure out how much.
Friday’s new rule on produce safety alone is 801 pages. The FDA also unveiled final rules for food importers Friday.
The majority of farmers already follow food safety practices demanded of buyers such as Walmart, Costco and international companies, but the rules are intended to give greater focus on prevention in a system that has been largely reactive after large outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people — or 1 in 6 people in the United States — are sickened each year from foodborne diseases, while an estimated 3,000 people die.
Farmers have been bracing for the new regulations for nearly five years.
Through public comment periods, industry groups had been asking the government to allow for a “dry off” period between the last watering and harvest.
Fact sheets released Friday, along with the text of the rule, mentioned such a waiting period, but determining how stringent the final rules are will take time, Woods said.
The U.S. Apple Association also declined Friday to discuss specifics of the produce safety rule but said the FDA relaxed some of the proposed water requirements.
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association plans to dedicate time during the upcoming annual meeting to food safety, with heavy discussion of the new regulations. The meeting runs Dec. 7-9 at the Yakima Convention Center.
The regulations are tailored to cover foods and growing methods that pose the greatest risk. They target produce such as berries, melons, leafy greens and other items usually eaten raw and more prone to contamination. A farm that produces green beans that will be cooked and canned, for example, would not be regulated. There are also exemptions for smaller farms.
