A key provision of a sweeping reform to American food safety laws will take effect in January 2016, requiring produce growers to take more steps to prevent contamination.
LSU AgCenter extension agents heard about the forthcoming rules at a training session held in Alexandria on Dec. 3.
The Food Safety Modernization Act was signed into law in 2011, shifting the focus of regulations to prevention of foodborne illnesses, said AgCenter food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari. The act, which is enforced jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and state agencies, includes seven rules that govern how plants must be grown, harvested, processed, stored and transported.