A few weeks ago here at PMA we received an update from U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (ERS) Administrator Mary Bohman describing how funding reductions would affect the services ERS provides our industry for the rest of this year. In that update, she stated “many of these products rely on National Agricultural Statistics Service products that have been suspended because of budget reductions. In addition, reductions in the ERS budget limit our ability to quickly identify whether alternative information sources or approaches can be developed in time to meet the scheduled deadlines.”

For our industry, this means that the quarterly Vegetable and Pulses Outlook and Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook reports have been suspended and the Vegetable and Pulses Data and Fruit and Tree Nuts Data (both July-September) are not scheduled for update at this time. The fresh produce industry isn’t the only sector that will have less data from which to work; dairy, livestock, poultry, meat, aquaculture, and rice are also on the receiving end of research cuts.

I’m sharing this news with you in case you regularly use of one or more of ERS’s outlook reports that provide market analysis and statistics on fresh produce, or if you use ERS research as part of your business operations. ERS reports are one of many information sources I turn to when researching responses to PMA members’ questions and I’m disappointed that these reports won’t be available this year. I am hopeful that the data points provided by these reports can be obtained through other sources.

We’ll keep an eye on this issue and let you know if any new developments, or alternatives, arise.

Next month, the Center for Produce Safety will hold its 2013 Research Symposium, June 25-26 at the Wegmans Conference Center in Rochester, New York. A few weeks ago, I shared that noted food safety attorney Bill Marler will present the CPS keynote address on June 25 on the evolving legal and financial realities of produce food safety and what it means for the industry. Today I’m taking a detailed look at the following food safety issues that will be discussed:

• A series on Listeria. Topics include a discussion of Listeria and produce (what you need to know and lessons learned to manage risks); Listeria 101; and living the reality of a Listeria contamination event.
• Composts and Ag Practices/Pathogen Survival. Topics include validating Salmonella inactivation during thermal processing of the physically heat-treated chicken litter as a soil amendment and organic fertilizer; validation of testing methods for the detection and quantification of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., fecal coliforms and non-pathogenic E. coli in compost; an investigation of E. coli survival on contaminated crop residue; and glucosinolate-derived compounds as a green manure for controlling E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in soil.
• Water Quality for Irrigation and Postharvest Practices. Topics include an assessment of E. coli as an indicator of microbial quality or irrigation water use for produce; an evaluation of sampling protocol to provide science-based metrics for use in identification of Salmonella in irrigation water testing programs in mixed produce farms in the Suwannee River watershed; enhancing the efficacy of fresh produce washing operations through establishing monitoring methods and water disinfection technologies based on a combination of filtration and UV; and parameter optimization to reduce susceptibility of tomatoes and peppers to post-harvest contamination, pathogen transfer and proliferation of Salmonella.
• Pathogen Transference: Preharvest, Harvest and Packing. Topics include the likelihood of cross‐contamination of head lettuce by E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and norovirus during hand harvest and recommendations for glove sanitizing and use; pathogen transfer risks associated with specific tomato harvest and packing operations; the survival, transfer, and inactivation of Salmonella on plastic materials used in tomato harvest; E- coli O157:H7 in bioaerosols from cattle production areas: evaluation of proximity and airborne transport on leafy green crop contamination.
• Sanitization of soft fruits with ultraviolet (UV-C) light. Topics include the influence of the pre-harvest environment on the physiological state of Salmonella and its impact on increased survival capability; Comparative assessment of field survival of Salmonella enterica and E. coli O157:H7 on cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) in relation to sequential cutting and re-growth; and the role of riparian zones in bacteria dispersal to produce farms.

Finally, though I’ve pointed out this resource before, I’m mentioning it again because it translates produce science and research into layman’s terms. Available on our website, A Practical Guide to the Scientific Research Presented at The Center for Produce Safety’s 2012 Research Symposium includes research from the 18 projects covered during the 2012 symposium presentations, information from the annual or final reports for each project, prior research funded through CPS relevant to these findings, posters on display at the symposium, and panel discussions following session presentations.

To register for the 2013 CPS Research Symposium, visit the CPS website. To discuss this or other industry food safety research needs, join the Food Safety Community on PMA Xchange.

In addition, if you’re planning to join us in Rochester for the CPS event, we invite you to join us the day after for a Fresh Connections event on June 27 - where PMA Chief Science & Technology Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker will explore key findings, highlights and business implications from the 2013 symposium. More details on Fresh Connections: Rochester will be available soon.

In tomorrow’s Federal Register, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will announce the extension of the comment period for both the proposed produce safety and preventive controls for human foods rules. The comment period will now close September 16, instead of May 16 as originally announced by the agency.

In the forthcoming notice, FDA stated the reason for the extension is to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments on the proposed rules and to keep the comment period for the information collection provisions associated with the rules consistent with the comment period for the proposed rules.

Certainly a 120-day extension will give industry stakeholders more time to consider the feedback in response to the multitude of questions FDA posed in these proposals. Since the proposals’ publication in January, PMA’s Produce Safety, Science and Technology Committee has been poring over these proposals and developing draft comments in response.

What remains unclear is if FDA will release any of the other Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rules during this extended comment period. During the first FSMA public meeting in February in Washington, DC, PMA Chief Science and Technology Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker stressed that to fully inform comments to FDA, we need to see the proposed Foreign Supplier Verification Program because it, the produce rule, and preventive controls are so intertwined. Foreign Supplier Verification has been under review for more than a year now.

PMA members who need to learn more about the FSMA are invited to visit our FSMA resource center and join the FSMA Community on PMA Xchange.

With the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program in late February, here at PMA we’ve been waiting for the next round of consumer activist pesticide lists to appear and they finally did yesterday.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released its 2013 “Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen” shopper’s guide. While this guide is likely to generate mainstream media attention (along with generating confusion among consumers), PMA and industry members throughout the produce supply chain can help counter EWG’s false claims, including directing consumers to the Alliance for Food and Farming’s website where consumers can learn the facts.

The website is a consumer resource for science-based information about the safety of organic and conventional produce backed by expertise in toxicology, pharmacology, risk assessment, and nutrition. On the site, interested consumers can also put residues in proper perspective by using the Pesticide Residue Calculator.

In a letter to members yesterday, PMA President Bryan Silbermann offered additional suggestions for setting this important record straight with your customers and consumers:

• Communicate the truth about pesticides by using the factual information found on the Safe Fruits and Veggies website on packaging, in-store signage, websites, social platforms, dietitian newsletters and even on menus.
• Educate people about the importance of eating MORE fruits and vegetables, not less, for better health; the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s website is a terrific resource.
• Advise people to “Just Wash It” with water if concerned about pesticide residues, guidance that’s based on government recommendations.
• Share stories about growers’ farming practices and food safety commitment to give consumers the complete picture behind their food.

He added that “because PMA believes in the business of informing consumers and upholding the industry’s commitment to providing safe produce, we must set the Dirty Dozen record straight. This is also why PMA remains one of the Alliance’s largest financial supporters and I proudly serve as vice chair of its board of directors. Our support empowers industry to counter misinformation about pesticide residues on fresh produce with science — the same foundation we use to continuously improve food safety.”

Members who have questions or who need further assistance are encouraged to contact PMA Director of Public Relations Meg Miller.

How are you using the Alliance’s materials in your consumer outreach? Tell us about it in the Increasing Consumption Community on PMA Xchange.

Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released two resources that address frequently asked questions about the proposed Food Safety Modernization Act rules on produce safety and preventive controls for human foods. These FAQs have been added to our FSMA resource center so that members can easily access them to learn more about the proposals.

Some of the topics addressed in the proposed produce safety rule FAQs include definitions of farms, mixed-type facilities, qualified exemptions and modified requirements, as well as subparts of the proposal: agricultural water, soil amendments, and records.

Some of the topics addressed in the proposed preventive controls rule FAQs include modernization of CGMPs, new definitions established in the proposed rule, exemptions on raw agricultural commodities, elements of a food safety plan under HARPC, and more.

In addition to these FDA resources, you can also access PMA’s own Webinars (recordings and presentations) and proposal analyses through our FSMA resource center. We’re updating this center as more information on FSMA becomes available. PMA members can also join the FSMA Community on PMA Xchange for discussions and updates as they happen.

Last week the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) announced that registration is now open for its June 25-26 Research Symposium at Wegmans Conference Center in Rochester, New York. This year, (in addition to hearing results from CPS-funded research projects, poster sessions from CPS and U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists, and industry panel discussions), attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in exclusive food safety tours of retail and organic research facilities.

Recently PMA’s Chief Science and Technology Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker and Hank Giclas, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Science & Technology for Western Growers published A Practical Guide to the Scientific Research Presented at The Center for Produce Safety’s 2012 Research Symposium. This report includes research from the 18 projects covered during the 2012 symposium’s presentations, information from the annual or final reports for each project, prior research funded through CPS relevant to these findings, posters on display at the symposium, and panel discussions following session presentations.

Dr. Whitaker and Mr. Giclas developed this report as a guide that the produce industry will find of use in understanding the latest research and in determining how to apply the CPS research to day-to-day operations. They’ve also included key findings from each project along with an interpretation of what those findings mean for growing, harvesting, and processing operations.

The report also includes observations and recommendations regarding industry issues and opportunities and a review of several emerging food safety tools that demonstrate potential benefit for the industry.

To view this report, visit the PMA website. To register for the 2013 CPS Research Symposium, visit the CPS website.

Yesterday Kathy shared with you some highlights from USDA’s Amber Waves magazine on food choices and consumption trends; today I’d like to share another USDA resource – this time a report on food hubs and locally grown foods titled The Role of Food Hubs in Local Food Marketing.

USDA defines a food hub as: ““a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.” USDA also notes that a food hub can also be defined by market efficiency functions, in addition to more abstract goals of building a diversified food culture.

Though the report isn’t specific to fruits and vegetables, it does cite several examples of how producers (e.g. ALBA in Salinas, Oklahoma Food Cooperative, Appalachian Harvest Network) are increasing their sales and connections with consumers through food hubs. For example, producers aligned with the Local Food Hub in Charlottesville, Virginia, says they have increased sales by an average 25 percent by working with the hub, which has reinvested more than $850,000 in the local farming community since its inception.

If you’re interested in reading this report, you can access it via the USDA’s Rural Development website. You can also share your thoughts about it in the Increasing Consumption Community on PMA Xchange.

On a personal note, two of my cousins have decided to get into the locally grown effort this year by growing greenhouse tomatoes. The greenhouse has been built and soon plants will be started. I’ll share updates on this project as I get them – although I’ve heard through the grapevine that the first lesson learned is how quickly the cost of farming has risen, especially with unanticipated expenses.

Recently the Produce Safety Alliance, in collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, announced it will be hosting a series of question-and-answer teleconferences to discuss specific sections of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) proposed produce safety standards rule. The alliance, which was formed in 2010, is a joint effort between FDA, USDA, and Cornell University to which seeks to develop and distribute educational and instructional information and materials on the most current good agricultural practices (GAPs) for the safe growing, harvesting, and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables to growers and packers across the U.S.

FDA representatives Jim Gorny, senior advisor for produce safety, and Erick Snellman, policy analyst, will speak during these calls. The first four calls’ will be held at 11 a.m. Eastern. Times and topics are:

• March 18: Understanding Exemptions
• March 25: Agricultural Water
• April 22: Soil Amendments
• April 25: Domestic and Wild Animals

Additional calls will be scheduled for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding activities; equipment, tools, buildings, and sanitation; health, hygiene, and worker training; and recordkeeping, compliance, and enforcement.

To participate in these teleconferences, call (866) 906-9888 and enter passcode 8140591. The number and code will remain the same for all sessions. If you need more details, you can contact Gretchen Wall at Cornell University, (607) 255-6806.

PMA members needing additional information on the FSMA are encouraged to visit our FSMA resource center and FSMA Community on PMA Xchange.

PMA’s Dr. Bob Whitaker (our Chief Science and Technology Officer) called on FDA to maintain a focus on science in developing rules to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act. Speaking at last week’s FDA public meeting in Washington, D.C., he said: “Regulation must be based on the science available and an assessment of the process employed to produce the commodity.”

He noted that the state of scientific knowledge has improved in recent years thanks to research, including research from the Center for Produce Safety. “This body of science is generally reflected in the proposed produce rule and has given FDA the latitude to better identify likely product contamination risk factors and to narrow the scope of regulation without affecting public health. However, in some instances, FDA has deviated from consistent application of their risk-based principles, and our written comments will focus on these omissions.”

Dr. Bob explained that PMA is engaging our members and our industry food safety committee experts to develop detailed comments to be submitted on behalf of our members. He and other presenters stressed that to fully inform comments to FDA, we need to see the proposed Foreign Supplier Verification Program because it, the produce rule, and preventive controls will be so intertwined.

The issue of defining “very small farms” for exemption, which FDA proposed to be $25,000 or less in value from all food sold from the farm, drew comment from Dr. Bob: “For years PMA has advocated that every company throughout the supply chain must have an active and effective food safety program. Foodborne pathogens do not respect company size or government exemptions – safety is everyone’s responsibility. We are concerned that if…these operations are exempted by the rule, then the buying community may turn away from these potential suppliers, thus limiting their access to the markets they wish to serve.”

Many PMA members were at the public meeting, and it was great to see everyone. It appeared to be one of the best produce networking opportunities since Fresh Summit. What stood out for me was the positive dialogue at the meeting and FDA’s eagerness to take in the comments. FSMA is a long haul.

Comments on the first two proposed rules are due May 16. Several more rules are in the offing. It’s important for everyone to understand how the rules could affect them and offer comments to influence the final rules that will affect our industry for years to come. Check out PMA resources on our FSMA page and join the conversation in the FSMA Community on PMA Xchange.

Yesterday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter to U.S. cantaloupe growers regarding the safe production and handling of cantaloupes. This letter is not associated with a current outbreak but is an FDA action taken after illness outbreaks reported in 2011 and 2012. In the letter, Michael Landa, director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition stated: “This letter is intended to reiterate our concern regarding possible contamination of cantaloupes with […] pathogens. […] We want to highlight the critical importance of safe and sanitary production and handling of cantaloupe.

“Because the recent outbreaks have been traced to domestic [US] cantaloupe packinghouses, during the 2013 growing season, we intend to initiate inspections with a sampling component at a subset of the cantaloupe packinghouses in the United States. The aim of these inspections is in part, to assess the current practices by this segment of the produce industry and to identify insanitary conditions that may affect the safety of cantaloupe destined for distribution to consumers […]. We will continue to target imported cantaloupes at the border for sampling and may engage in other surveillance and inspection activities as circumstances warrant to meet our public health regulatory mandate and responsibilities.”

FDA has asked the cantaloupe industry to review its current practices using the agency’s Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons; Draft Guidance and Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.

In addition to these resources, PMA and other industry trade associations, along with a broad cross-section of the cantaloupe industry, have developed an enhanced commodity-specific guidance for U.S.-produced and imported netted melons. This guidance reflects the current science and industry’s thoughts on best practices and food safety. In addition, our Food Safety Resource Center has several tools available to develop comprehensive food safety programs. The Center for Produce Safety also has several research projects related to safe cantaloupe production.