Laws and Regulations Committee Update – March 18, 2020

Federal Register

Agricultural Marketing Service

• Proposed Rules

Assessment Rate:

Onions Grown in South Texas

Filed on: 03/18/2020 at 8:45 am Scheduled Pub. Date: 03/19/2020

FR Document: 2020-05512 PDF 15 Pages (247 KB) Permalink

• Notices

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals:

Assessment Exemption for Organic Commodities under Federal Marketing Orders

Filed on: 03/18/2020 at 8:45 am Scheduled Pub. Date: 03/19/2020

FR Document: 2020-05507 PDF 6 Pages (129 KB) Permalink

Food and Drug Administration

Meetings:

March 10 through April 30, 2020, Public Meetings; Postponement, Cancellation, or Remote Only

Filed on: 03/18/2020 at 8:45 am Scheduled Pub. Date: 03/19/2020

FR Document: 2020-05743 PDF 3 Pages (36.5 KB) Permalink

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Notices

Expansion of Use of the Term Healthy

Filed on: 03/18/2020 at 8:45 am Scheduled Pub. Date: 03/19/2020

FR Document: 2020-05738 PDF 12 Pages (361 KB) Permalink

FDA

Food Safety and the Coronavirus Q&A

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Issues Temporary Policy for FSMA Onsite Audit Requirements (Press Release)

Temporary Policy Regarding Preventive Controls and FSVP Food Supplier Verification Onsite Audit Requirements During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (Guidance)

E. coli: Clover Sprouts (February 2020) (March 17 Update)

Warning Letters

Posted Date	Issue Date	Company	Issuing Office	Subject
03/17/2020	10/29/2019	Sweet Ann Cake, Inc.	Office of Human and Animal Food Operations East Division IV	CGMP/Food/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated
03/17/2020	02/11/2020	Sunrise Distributors Inc	Division of Northern Border Imports	Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP)
03/17/2020	02/12/2020	Nature Essence Small Molecule Co., LTD	Division of Human and Animal Food Operations East V	Cosmetics/Adulterated/Misbranded
03/17/2020	02/21/2020	Warner Herb Co.	Office of Human and Animal Foods Operations-East	Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded
03/17/2020	03/02/2020	Dianne’s Fine Desserts	Office of Human and Animal Food Operations East Division 1	Food Labeling/Misbranded
03/17/2020	02/28/2020	City Vapes Premium eJuice Inc.	Center for Tobacco Products	Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded
03/17/2020	01/14/2020	Vaping Studio	Center for Tobacco Products	Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded
03/17/2020	09/30/2019	Commonwealth Vapes	Center for Tobacco Products	Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded
03/17/2020	10/25/2019	Vapstor Distribution	Center for Tobacco Products	Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded

FSIS

USDA Ensures Food Safety During COVID-19 Outbreak

Statement to Industry

USDA

USDA Continues Focus on Service During COVID-19 Outbreak

USDA Announces Feeding Program Partnership in Response to COVID-19

Notice to Stakeholders: USDA Extends Comment Period on Proposed School and Summer Meal Reforms

Food & Water Watch

To Contain COVID-19 Crisis, Wolf Must Immediately Shut Down Shell Cracker Plant Construction

@SteveFDA

• Today, FDA took steps to help minimize disruptions in the food supply chain that will help the food industry meet the unprecedented demand grocery stores are facing during the #COVID19 outbreak. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-issues-temporary-policy-fsma-onsite-audit-requirements …
• In an effort to mitigate these supply chain disruptions, we issued a temporary policy for FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) supplier verification onsite audit requirements during the #COVID19 outbreak.
• Some regulations created to implement FSMA require receiving facilities & importers to conduct supplier audits onsite as part of a written Food Safety Plan or FSVP. But travel restrictions & advisories due to #COVID19 may make onsite audits temporarily impractical.
• Today’s policy states that the agency will temporarily not enforce FSMA supplier verification onsite audit requirements if other appropriate supplier verification methods are used instead.
• Other supplier verification methods, such as sampling & testing or a review of food safety records, would be designed to provide sufficient assurance that hazards have been significantly minimized or prevented during the period of onsite audit delay.
• FDA anticipates that receiving facilities & FSVP importers will resume onsite audits within a reasonable period of time after it becomes practicable to do so, & update their food safety plans & FSVPs accordingly. We will provide timely notice before withdrawing the policy.

@FrankYiannasFDA

• There is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. Nevertheless, we’ve posted a series of Q&A related to the topic for the food industry. http://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19 …

@SecretarySonny

• During the Coronavirus National Emergency, @USDA_APHIS, @USDA_AMS & @USDAFoodSafety are ensuring the health & safety of our employees while still providing timely delivery of the services to maintain the movement of America’s food supply from farm to fork. https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/03/17/usda-ensures-food-safety-during-covid-19-outbreak …
• We’ve partnered with @BaylorCoHP, McLane Global & @PepsiCo to provide 1 MILLION MEALS PER WEEK to rural children in response to the Coronavirus. Food boxes will contain 5 days worth of shelf-stable, nutritious, individually packaged foods. MORE: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/03/17/usda-announces-feeding-program-partnership-response-covid-19 …

@FDA_ORA

• The #FDAORA inspects farms & food manufacturers, but did you know that the @FDAfood Total Diet Study (TDS) analyzes~ 280 foods for ˃800 chemical contaminants, including pesticides? LEARN more about the TDS: https://go.usa.gov/xd2JK  #PPW #PublicHealth
• Aren’t we lucky that #FDAORA protects public health? In fact, 80% of our food supply is regulated by the FDA. When you’re preparing your celebratory corned beef & cabbage for #StPatricksDay, make sure to remove the outermost leaves to keep your #FoodSafe. https://go.usa.gov/xdmAk