2019 -- S 0761

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY URGING CONGRESS TO REQUEST THAT THE FDA INVESTIGATES

AMENDING THE QUALIFIED EXEMPTION LANGUAGE IN 21 CFR § 112.5(A)(2) TO

EXCLUDE ANIMAL FEED PRODUCTS FROM THE DEFINITION OF "ALL FOOD"

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Sosnowski, Conley, Coyne, and Euer

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

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     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of

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Environmental Management (DEM) recently held meetings with Rhode Island's agricultural

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community as part of the implementation of the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing,

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and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption; and

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     WHEREAS, During these sessions, significant concern was raised regarding the

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formulation of the farm average annual monetary value regarding particular inclusions in "all

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food" as defined in Section 201(F) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; and

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     WHEREAS, Food for animal consumption is regulated under the Current Good

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Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for

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Animals; and

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     WHEREAS, During the meetings, it was proposed that food for animal consumption

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should not count against a farm's annual monetary value as it pertains to the qualified exemption

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in 21 CFR § 112.5, as it does not impact the raw agricultural commodities grown for human

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consumption; and

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     WHEREAS, In May of 2018, at the request of the Rhode Island Senate Committee on

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Environment and Agriculture, the RI DEM Director, Janet Coit and RI DOH Director, Nicole

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Alexander-Scott wrote to the FDA Commissioner, Scott Gotlieb on behalf of the RI farm

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community requesting consideration for this minor language change to the Produce Safety Rule;

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and

 

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     WHEREAS, To date, neither Director has received any reply from the Commissioner or

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any other person at the FDA; and

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     WHEREAS, A query as to the need for an investigation on whether the FDA Produce

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Safety Rule found in 21 CFR §112.5 is ultra vires is also pertinent; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby respectfully urges Congress to request the FDA to explore the feasibility of amending the

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qualified exemption language in 21 CFR §112.5(a)(2) to exclude animal feed products such as

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hay, straw, and silage corn from the definition of "all food" and to fully exempt that produce not

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covered pursuant to the Produce Safety Rule in section 112.2(a); and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, the

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Governor of the State of Rhode Island, the Director of the DEM, and the Director of DOH.

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