• As reported last week on The Daily Intake, FDA published two new draft guidance documents on October 19, 2018 to assist processors and farmers in complying with produce safety requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  The draft Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Produce addresses compliance for fresh-cut produce with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) and Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) Rule for Human Food published on September 17, 2015 (80 FR 55907).  The draft Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: Guidance for Industry addresses compliance with the FSMA final Produce Safety Rule published on November 27, 2015 (80 FR 74353).

• In advance of the due date of April 22, 2019 for written comments on these draft guidance documents, FDA has announced a series of four one-day public meetings throughout the country to discuss the draft guidance on standards for compliance with the Produce Safety Rule.  The dates and locations for these meetings are:

November 27, 2018
8:30 AM‐5:00 PM
Hilton Portland Downtown
921 SW Sixth Ave., Portland, OR 97204

November 29, 2018 
8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Doubletree Suites by Hilton/Anaheim Resort Convention Center
2085 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92802

December 11, 2018 
8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Hilton Albany
40 Lodge St., Albany, NY 12207

December 13, 2018
8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Embassy Suites Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park
267 Marietta St., Atlanta, GA 30313

• Additional meeting specifics, including information on how to register for the meetings, will be made available on October 31, 2018 through a Federal Register Notice, and on the FDA public meetings website.