Take a Public Stand on FSMA!

You Know Your Farmer, You Know Your food –

Now Stand Up for Your Farmer, Stand Up for Your Food!

Join Farm Aid and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition in taking action today!

Everyone has a role to play in keeping our food safe from field to fork – but FDA’s new rules will unfairly burden family farmers, target sustainable and organic farming, and reduce the availability of fresh, local food in our communities. Now is the time to tell FDA that this is unacceptable – TAKE ACTION by signing this petition from NSAC and Farm Aid today!

Stand up for your farmer, stand up for your food!

This action is no longer active.

To view the current list of our active campaigns click here

AS OF 7:00 PM THIS PETITION IS CLOSED: WE HAVE SUBMITTED IT TO FDA! (coming here before 11:59 ET on November 22? There is still time to submit your own comments: Learn more and submit comments today!

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Getting Specific: What Needs to Change in the Rules?

Want more details on these issues? Here's what we're asking for:

  • Allow farmers to use sustainable farming practices, including those already allowed and encouraged by existing federal organic standards and conservation programs. Specifically, FDA must not exceed the strict standards for the use of manure and compost used in certified organic production and regulated by the National Organic Program.
  • Ensure that diversified and innovative farms, particularly those pioneering models for increased access to healthy, local foods, continue to grow and thrive without being stifled. Specifically, FDA needs to clarify two key definitions: first, as Congress required, FDA must affirm that farmers markets, CSAs, roadside stands, and other direct-to-consumer vendors fall under the definition of a “retail food establishment” and are therefore not facilities subject to additional regulation. Second, FDA should adopt at least the $1,000,000 threshold for a very small business and base it on the value of ‘regulated product,’ not ‘all food,’ to ensure smaller farms and businesses (like food hubs) fall under the scale-appropriate requirements and aren’t subject to high cost, industrial-scale regulation.
  • Provide options that treat family farms fairly, with due process and without excessive costs. Specifically, FDA must clearly define the “material conditions” that lead to a withdrawal of a farmer’s protected status in scientifically measurable terms. FDA must also outline a clear, fair, process for justifying the withdrawal of a farmer’s protected status and for how a farmer can regain that status.

Want to learn more about the issues? Our FSMA Action Center includes detailed information on the issues above - along with Am I Affected? guidance for farmers and food entrepreneurs.