State agricultural officials urge FDA to release second FSMA draft for comment

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) released a statement following its annual meeting supporting FSMA but questioning FDA's timeline for implementation. NASDA urges Congress and FDA to assure adequate due process for the promulgation of FSMA rules by postponing finalization of the second set of rules until a second draft of the rules can be published for public comment. NASDA worries that "given the complexity of the proposed rules, the current timeline may not allow FDA to craft a sound and operable food safety program." Producers have expressed concern over following multiple complex rules, and some worry that rules will be more vigorously enforced on domestic growers than foreign producers.