Kuster Encourages Farmers and Consumers to Attend Upcoming FDA FSMA Listening Session in Vermont

Press Release

Congresswoman Annie Kuster today applauded the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s decision to hold an open listening session in New England next week. The session will give local farmers and food production workers a chance to provide comment on newly revised Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules.

A member of the House Agriculture Committee, Kuster brought FDA officials to New Hampshire last August for one of three listening sessions across New England so that local farmers and consumers could have an opportunity to express their concerns about the original FSMA rules. As originally drafted, the rules would have imposed unnecessary and overly burdensome regulations on small New Hampshire farms. Kuster led the fight to change the original FSMA rules, and she was pleased to announce revisions to the rules earlier this year.

"I was pleased to bring the FDA to New Hampshire last August for an open forum, and I applaud FDA, NEASDA, and Vermont officials for holding another forum, which will give our local farmers a chance to weigh in on the revised Food Safety Modernization Act rules before the final public comment period closes in early December," said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. "I've worked closely with farmers across the district to ensure these proposed rules will not hurt our local farmers and consumers, and I urge all members of the agricultural community to attend this listening session so they can share their thoughts and concerns with the FDA on the newly revised rules."

In early 2013, the FDA issued the first two of seven proposed rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a 2011 law revamping food safety laws to increase the safety of our food supply. As originally proposed, the rules threatened to place burdensome requirements on New Hampshire farmers that could have forced many farms out of business. Kuster successfully partnered with the New Hampshire congressional delegation to lead a bipartisan, bicameral group of New England Representatives and Senators to engage with the FDA and call for revisions to the rules to protect small New England farms. The FDA released the newly revised rules in September of this year.

The upcoming FDA listening session will be hosted jointly by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets and the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) on November 17th. It will take place from 9:00 AM -- 1:00 PM at the Vermont Law School Chase Center in South Royalton, Vermont. Click here for more information.

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