May 21, 2013

FSMA statement date pushed back to June 10

A federal judge has extended the deadline for a joint statement to be issued regarding the implementation of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA).

On May 21, U.S. District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton in Oakland, Calif., granted an extension until June 10 for FDA and two California-based food safety advocacy groups to prepare a joint statement setting forth proposed deadlines for enactment of the FSMA rules.

FDA, along with the nonprofit Center for Food Safety (CFS) and the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) had requested from Hamilton an extension of the May 20 deadline previously ordered on April 22.

“It is ordered that the two parties have additional time to develop a mutually agreeable schedule,” ruled Hamilton, who on April 22 found in favor of the CFS and CEH bid to force enactment of FSMA. She said FDA has taken too long to implement the new food safety regulations.

On April 24, FDA issued Federal Register notices to extend public comment periods until Sept. 16 on the first of five proposed rules that would establish the foundation of FSMA.