PMA's Gorny asks FDA to consider fewer border tests post-FSMA
PMA's Gorny asks FDA to consider fewer border tests post-FSMA
WASHINGTON — A top FDA official assured the produce industry Thursday that the agency will take a look at changing how it deploys resources at the border after Produce Marketing Association's Jim Gorny raised the question of whether there would be less testing and sampling at border crossings once the Food Safety Modernization Act rules go into effect.
Gorny, PMA's vice president of food safety and technology, spoke at the two-day meeting, here. It was the first of three meetings on FSMA's proposals that will change how importers verify that foreign suppliers meet U.S. safety rules and introduce new procedures for accrediting third-party audits. Nearly 400 people attended FDA's public meeting on FSMA.
These rules are especially important to the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, as some 50 percent of fresh fruit and 20 percent of vegetables are imported into the United States. The volume and the perishable nature of the product is why the industry is keenly interested in seeing changes at the border, not to mention the cost to industry when fresh produce loses its value from laboratory delays.
"We have great expectations that the FSVP rule, by providing a more preventive approach to import produce safety, will significantly reduce the frequency of produce testing at the border, which often causes severe and significant economic losses of perishable commodities," Gorny said.
Gorny, who until recently served as an adviser at FDA, suggested the agency pay particular attention to the effects of the new FSMA import checks on produce testing at the port of entry.
The produce industry hopes the import rule changes, along with the yet-to-be-proposed Voluntary Qualified Import Program, will speed border crossings, reducing border crossing bottenecks and facilitate international trade -- all while assuring consumers fresh produce is meeting U.S. standards, Gorny said.
In response, Mike Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, acknowledged FDA plans to take a look at redeploying resources at the border, and while there will still be some border exams, it may not look the same as the current system.
The reason, Taylor said, is that FSMA's rules will assure the industry is complying with prevention standards throughout the supply chain, reaching back to the foreign grower or processor. In that case, the new rules should end up being a "win-win" for consumers and growers, he said.
