Food Safety Requirements for Produce Growers: Retailer Demands and the Food Safety Modernization Act

The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act established “Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption,” commonly known as the “Produce Rule” (PR). Interviews with nine food retailers form a case study of the retail sector’s food safety requirements for produce suppliers and how they might change in response to the PR, which began phased implementation in January 2018. Although thirdparty audits of food safety practices are commonly demanded by retailers, the PR does not require these audits and provides exemptions and variances for smaller growers or particular commodities. This study, one in a series examining how growers adapt to evolving food safety requirements, found it likely that retailers already requiring third-party audits will continue to do so. Responses also indicated retailers will likely continue to impose food safety requirements on growers uniformly, rather than spend the time and resources to understand and adhere to the nuances of the PR’s compliance criteria. The interviewed retailers noted they lost suppliers in the past when new food safety standards were introduced, and they expect some growers may stop supplying them when the PR takes effect. However, they believe the PR will not drastically affect their growers but will have the greatest impact on growers outside their supply chains