RUF Releases Produce Safety Roadmap

Today, the Reagan-Udall Foundation (RUF) for the FDA released its Roadmap to Produce Safety: Summary Report of the Produce Safety Dialogue. The FDA-commissioned report reflects the voices of over 170 produce sector stakeholders, who together developed this roadmap as a foundation for transformative change in produce safety management through collaboration.  

The availability of safe produce is paramount to reducing chronic disease and supporting healthy diets, which is a key priority to Making America Healthy Again. However, numerous foodborne-illnesses and recalls linked to fresh produce continue to challenge consumer trust and confidence. Recognizing the complexity of produce supply chains, the report makes two primary recommendations:  

• Implement a shared responsibility approach: All stakeholders must actively participate in risk-based produce safety efforts, as foodborne illness outbreaks affect both consumers and the entire industry. The FDA takes seriously its responsibility for produce safety and encourages this approach of broader engagement and responsibility sharing.  
• Form a structured, stakeholder-led collaboration: Transformative change requires the formation of a structured, stand-alone, sustainably funded collaboration led by influential stakeholders representing the diversity of the produce supply chain. The FDA will actively participate in this effort and agrees with the report’s recommendation that regulators should not own or lead the coalition.