Workable Food Safety Rules & RMA Sales Closing Dates

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

The Food and Drug Administration has decided to revise its proposed food safety rules that farmers have said could hurt their business. The earlier proposed rules would have required growers to put new precautions in place against contamination that included making sure that all animals stayed out of fields and irrigation water was clean. For many farmers such requirements would necessitate extensive documentation of operations and expensive new equipment. FDA's Commissioner for Foods, Michael Taylor, says the agency's decision to re-write its proposed rules came about "due to the input received from farmers and the concerns they expressed about the impact of these rules on their livelihood." The new rules are expected to be finalized by June 2015.

USDA Risk Management Specialist Jo Lynne Seufer would like to remind producers of the fast approaching winter and spring sales closing dates for multiple peril crop insurance programs.

SEUFER: First one right around the corner is January 31, which those who have a current Adjusted Gross Revenue insurance policy throughout Idaho, Oregon and Washington this is the last day that they can send that required document to continue that coverage for the 2014 crop year. Another sales closing date of February 3 is the last day to buy or change crop insurance coverage for spring planted onions in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as cabbage in Oregon and Washington. Finally we have our primary vegetable sales closing date spring crops March 17, that's the last day for our producers to buy or change their coverage on all spring seeded multi-peril crop insurance policies. And it's also the last day for producers to purchase the 2014 Adjusted Gross Revenue Lite policy for the very first time.

Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent for more details.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.