The Food and Drug Administration is announcing the availability of a guidance for industry entitled "Questions and Answers Regarding Food Facility Registration (Sixth Edition)." The guidance includes one new question and answer in addition to the questions and answers in the Fifth Edition of the guidance document, which is being added in light of an ongoing rulemaking under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that proposes to make certain changes to the definition of the term “farm” in 21 CFR 1.227.

The new question and answer explains FDA’s policy regarding food facility registration for farms that also pack or hold raw agricultural commodities grown on a farm under different ownership and that would no longer be required to register if the proposed amendments to the “farm” definition are finalized as proposed in the rulemaking. Under this policy, as discussed in the guidance, FDA does not intend to prioritize enforcing the registration requirement for such establishments. This policy is a less burdensome policy consistent with the public health. FDA intends to make further updates to this guidance once certain FSMA rulemakings are final in order to make sure questions and answers, key terms, and definitions are consistent and accurate with regard to the registration of food facility requirements.

For more information visit Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Facility Registration (Sixth Edition) or Federal Register Notice of Availability: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Facility Registration (Sixth Edition); Guidance for Industry.

PennAg Spring Banquet & Annual Meeting - April 1 - 2
The 2015 PennAg Spring Banquet & Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, April 1 (Banquet) and Thursday, April 2 (Meeting) at the Lancaster County Convention Center. Themed, "Changing Food Trends: Do Consumers Drive the Agricultural Marketplace," the event is packed with dynamic speakers who will touch on a variety of topics of concern for those involved in production agriculture. Download a registration form for additional information or visit http://www.cvent.com/d/4rq7z7 to register online. (Sponsorship, advertising, and attendance opportunities available.)