RAYMOND -- Members of the produce industry have two opportunities to evaluate and comment on revisions to proposed changes to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety law.

Experts with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will help participants understand the revisions to the Food Safety Modernization Act during two separate workshops.

The act introduces new rules to help prevent contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables during growing, harvesting, packing and holding.

The first workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 3 at MSU’s North Mississippi Research and Extension Center, located at 5421 Highway 145 South in Verona.

The second workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 20 at MSU’s Coastal Research and Extension Center, located at 1815 Popps Ferry Road in Biloxi.

After public feedback from the first open comment period during 2013, the FDA revised portions of the produce rule. Revisions were made to the following portions:

• water quality standards and testing requirements,
• manure and compost rules,
• procedures for withdrawal of qualified exemptions,
• wildlife provisions, and
• the definition of a covered farm.

Produce growers, produce industry employees, Extension agents and other interested individuals are encouraged to attend and offer feedback.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. To register for a workshop or for more information, contact Barakat Mahmoud at 228-763-7783 or bmahmoud@ext.msstate.edu.

For more information on the Food Safety Modernization Act, visit http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/.