The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period for the information collection provisions associated with the proposed rules on "Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food" and "Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption" that appeared in the Federal Register of January 16, 2013.

In the preamble of these proposed rules, FDA requested comments by February 15, 2013, on the information collection provisions that are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. FDA is taking the action of extending the deadline for the comment period in response to requests for that extension, in order to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments. May 16, 2013 is also the deadline for submitting comments to the proposed rules.

The public may submit either electronic or written comments by May 16, 2013, directly to OMB. OMB recommends that written comments be faxed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attn: FDA Desk Officer, FAX: 202-395-7285, or emailed to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. All comments should be identified with the title of the relevant proposed rule, either “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption” or “Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food”.

For more information:

• Federal Register Notice: Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food; Extension of Comment Period for Information Collection Provisions

• Federal Register Notice: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption; Extension of Comment Period for Information Collection Provisions