ARLINGTON, Va.— In response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s release of the Food Traceability Final Rule, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney issued the following statement. “The NASDA Foundation commends the U.S. FDA for developing and releasing the Food Traceability Final Rule as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act. This rule is necessary to ensure our U.S. food system is proactive in protecting against foodborne illnesses. The NASDA Foundation looks forward to working to educate farmers on the new rule and collaborating with FDA to implement the new requirements” Background: Protecting the safety of our nation’s food is the primary responsibility of NASDA members. The commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture serve as co-regulators with the federal government in implementing food safety regulations. Specifically, NASDA Foundation has held a cooperative agreement with FDA since 2014 to assist the FDA and state departments of agriculture in implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act and educating farmers about the requirements of this historic legislation. |