FSMA Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Rule finally Finalized

After years of deliberation on pre–harvest agricultural water requirements, the final rule has been unveiled. I’m speaking to berry growers and not sprout farmers when I summarize some of the key rule points below. 

 

Pre–harvest agricultural water is water used at any stage of growing the crop before it is harvested. This includes water for spraying and for growing. 

 

At least annually, farms must assess and maintain their pre–harvest water system but also must reassess if any significant change happens to the typical water set up or source. Here is the assessment flowchart to follow at least annually. Several factors play into assessing the water and distribution of said water, including if the source is near locations that are likely to introduce hazards onto fruit or fruit contact surfaces. 

 

As always, there are exemptions to implementing this water assessment on your farm (ie. if your pre–harvest watering methods meet the same criteria as the harvest and post-harvest rules, if water used is coming from a public water source and can proven so with certificates, or if water is treated with the same standards as those found in the Produce Safety Rule and the water quality would not have changed prior to harvest).