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| [Code of Federal Regulations] |
| [Title 21, Volume 2] |
| [CITE: 21CFR112] |
TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER B - FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
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| PART 112 | STANDARDS FOR THE GROWING, HARVESTING, PACKING, AND HOLDING OF PRODUCE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION |
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Subpart R - Withdrawal of Qualified Exemption
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Sec. 112.201 Under what circumstances can FDA withdraw a qualified exemption in accordance with the requirements of 112.5?
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(a) We may withdraw your qualified exemption under § 112.5:
(1) In the event of an active investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak that is directly linked to your farm; or
(2) If we determine that it is necessary to protect the public health and prevent or mitigate a foodborne illness outbreak based on conduct or conditions associated with your farm that are material to the safety of the food that would otherwise be covered produce grown, harvested, packed or held at your farm.
(b) Before FDA issues an order to withdraw your qualified exemption, FDA:
(1) May consider one or more other actions to protect the public health and prevent or mitigate a foodborne illness outbreak, including a warning letter, recall, administrative detention, refusal of food offered for import, seizure, and injunction;
(2) Must notify the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm, in writing, of circumstances that may lead FDA to withdraw the exemption, and provide an opportunity for the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm to respond in writing, within 15 calendar days of the date of receipt of the notification, to FDA's notification; and
(3) Must consider the actions taken by the farm to address the circumstances that may lead FDA to withdraw the exemption.
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Sec. 112.202 What procedure will FDA use to withdraw an exemption?
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(a) An FDA Division Director in whose division the farm is located (or, in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition), or an FDA official senior to either such Director, must approve an order to withdraw the exemption before the order is issued.
(b) Any officer or qualified employee of FDA may issue an order to withdraw the exemption after it has been approved in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) FDA must issue an order to withdraw the exemption to the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm.
(d) FDA must issue an order to withdraw the exemption in writing, signed and dated by the officer or qualified employee of FDA who is issuing the order.
[80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Sec. 112.203 What information must FDA include in an order to withdraw a qualified exemption?
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An order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to a farm under § 112.5 must include the following information:
(a) The date of the order;
(b) The name, address and location of the farm;
(c) A brief, general statement of the reasons for the order, including information relevant to one or both of the following circumstances that leads FDA to issue the order:
(1) An active investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak that is directly linked to the farm; or
(2) Conduct or conditions associated with a farm that are material to the safety of the food that would otherwise be covered produce grown, harvested, packed and held at such farm.
(d) A statement that the farm must either:
(1) Comply with subparts B through O of this part on the date that is 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of the order, or within a reasonable timeframe, agreed to by FDA, based on a written justification, submitted to FDA, for a timeframe that exceeds 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of the order; or
(2) Appeal the order within 15 calendar days of the date of receipt of the order in accordance with the requirements of § 112.206.
(e) A statement that a farm may request that FDA reinstate an exemption that was withdrawn by following the procedures in § 112.213;
(f) The text of section 419(f) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and of this subpart;
(g) A statement that any informal hearing on an appeal of the order must be conducted as a regulatory hearing under part 16 of this chapter, with certain exceptions described in § 112.208;
(h) The mailing address, telephone number, email address, fax number, and name of the FDA Division Director in whose division the farm is located (or for foreign farms, the same information for the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition); and
(i) The name and the title of the FDA representative who approved the order.
[80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Sec. 112.204 What must I do if I receive an order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to my farm?
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The owner, operator, or agent in charge of a farm that receives an order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to that farm under § 112.5 must either:
(a) Comply with applicable requirements of this part within 120 calendar days of the date from receipt of the order or, if operations have ceased and will not resume within 120 calendar days, before the beginning of operations in the next growing season, or within a reasonable timeframe, agreed to by FDA, based on a written justification, submitted to FDA, for a timeframe that exceeds 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of the order; or
(b) Appeal the order within 15 calendar days of the date of receipt of the order in accordance with the requirements of § 112.206.
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Sec. 112.205 Can I appeal or request a hearing on an order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to my farm?
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(a) Submission of an appeal, including submission of a request for an informal hearing, will not operate to delay or stay any administrative action, including enforcement action by FDA, unless the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, as a matter of discretion, determines that delay or a stay is in the public interest.
(b) If the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm appeals the order, and FDA confirms the order:
(1) The owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm must comply with applicable requirements of this part within 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of the order, or, if operations have ceased and will not resume within 120 calendar days, before the beginning of operations in the next growing season, or within a reasonable timeframe, agreed to by FDA, based on a written justification, submitted to FDA, for a timeframe that exceeds 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of the order; and
(2) The owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm is no longer subject to the modified requirements in §§ 112.6 and 112.7.
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Sec. 112.206 What is the procedure for submitting an appeal?
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(a) To appeal an order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to a farm under § 112.5, the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm must:
(1) Submit the appeal in writing to the FDA Division Director in whose division the farm is located (or in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition), at the mailing address, email address, or fax number identified in the order within 15 calendar days of the date of receipt of the order; and
(2) Respond with particularity to the facts and issues contained in the order, including any supporting documentation upon which the owner, operator or agent in charge of the farm relies.
(b) In a written appeal of the order withdrawing an exemption provided under § 112.5, the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm may include a written request for an informal hearing as provided in § 112.207.
[80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Sec. 112.207 What is the procedure for requesting an informal hearing?
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(a) If the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm appeals the order, the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm:
(1) May request an informal hearing; and
(2) Must submit any request for an informal hearing together with its written appeal submitted in accordance with § 112.206 within 15 calendar days of the date of receipt of the order.
(b) A request for an informal hearing may be denied, in whole or in part, if the presiding officer determines that no genuine and substantial issue of material fact has been raised by the material submitted. If the presiding officer determines that a hearing is not justified, a written notice of the determination will be given to the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm explaining the reason for the denial.
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Sec. 112.208 What requirements are applicable to an informal hearing?
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If the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm requests an informal hearing, and FDA grants the request:
(a) The hearing will be held within 15 calendar days after the date the appeal is filed or, if applicable, within a timeframe agreed upon in writing by the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm and FDA.
(b) The presiding officer may require that a hearing conducted under this subpart be completed within 1 calendar day, as appropriate.
(c) FDA must conduct the hearing in accordance with part 16 of this chapter, except that:
(1) The order withdrawing an exemption under § 112.5, rather than the notice under § 16.22(a) of this chapter, provides notice of the opportunity for a hearing under this section and is part of the administrative record of the regulatory hearing under § 16.80(a) of this chapter.
(2) A request for a hearing under this subpart must be addressed to the FDA Division Director (or, in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) as provided in the order withdrawing an exemption.
(3) Section 112.209, rather than § 16.42(a) of this chapter, describes the FDA employees who preside at hearings under this subpart.
(4) Section 16.60(e) and (f) of this chapter does not apply to a hearing under this subpart. The presiding officer must prepare a written report of the hearing. All written material presented at the hearing will be attached to the report. The presiding officer must include as part of the report of the hearing a finding on the credibility of witnesses (other than expert witnesses) whenever credibility is a material issue, and must include a proposed decision, with a statement of reasons. The hearing participant may review and comment on the presiding officer's report within 2 calendar days of issuance of the report. The presiding officer will then issue the final decision.
(5) Section 16.80(a)(4) of this chapter does not apply to a regulatory hearing under this subpart. The presiding officer's report of the hearing and any comments on the report by the hearing participant under § 112.208(c)(4) are part of the administrative record.
(6) No party shall have the right, under § 16.119 of this chapter to petition the Commissioner of Food and Drugs for reconsideration or a stay of the presiding officer's final decision.
(7) If FDA grants a request for an informal hearing on an appeal of an order withdrawing an exemption, the hearing must be conducted as a regulatory hearing under a regulation in accordance with part 16 of this chapter, except that § 16.95(b) does not apply to a hearing under this subpart. With respect to a regulatory hearing under this subpart, the administrative record of the hearing specified in §§ 16.80(a)(1), (2), (3), and (5) of this chapter and 112.208(c)(5) constitutes the exclusive record for the presiding officer's final decision. For purposes of judicial review under § 10.45 of this chapter, the record of the administrative proceeding consists of the record of the hearing and the presiding officer's final decision.
[80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Sec. 112.209 Who is the presiding officer for an appeal and for an informal hearing?
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The presiding officer for an appeal, and for an informal hearing, must be an Office of Regulatory Affairs Program Director or another FDA official senior to an FDA Division Director.
[85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Sec. 112.210 What is the timeframe for issuing a decision on an appeal?
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(a) If the owner, operator, or agent in charge of a farm appeals the order without requesting a hearing, the presiding officer must issue a written report that includes a final decision confirming or revoking the withdrawal by the 10th calendar day after the appeal is filed.
(b) If the owner, operator, or agent in charge of a farm appeals the order and requests an informal hearing:
(1) If FDA grants the request for a hearing and the hearing is held, the presiding officer must provide a 2 calendar day opportunity for the hearing participants to review and submit comments on the report of the hearing under § 112.208(c)(4), and must issue a final decision within 10 calendar days after the hearing is held; or
(2) If FDA denies the request for a hearing, the presiding officer must issue a final decision on the appeal confirming or revoking the withdrawal within 10 calendar days after the date the appeal is filed.
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Sec. 112.211 When is an order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to a farm revoked?
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An order to withdraw a qualified exemption applicable to a farm under § 112.5 is revoked if:
(a) The owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm appeals the order and requests an informal hearing, FDA grants the request for an informal hearing, and the presiding officer does not confirm the order within the 10 calendar days after the hearing, or issues a decision revoking the order within that time; or
(b) The owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm appeals the order and requests an informal hearing, FDA denies the request for an informal hearing, and FDA does not confirm the order within the 10 calendar days after the appeal is filed, or issues a decision revoking the order within that time; or
(c) The owner, operator, or agent in charge of the farm appeals the order without requesting an informal hearing, and FDA does not confirm the order within the 10 calendar days after the appeal is filed, or issues a decision revoking the order within that time.
(d) Confirmation of a withdrawal order by the presiding officer is considered a final Agency action for purposes of 5 U.S.C. 702.
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Sec. 112.213 If my qualified exemption is withdrawn, under what circumstances would FDA reinstate my qualified exemption?
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(a) If the FDA Division Director in whose division your farm is located (or, in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) determines that the farm has adequately resolved any problems with the conduct and conditions that are material to the safety of the food produced or harvested at such farm, and that continued withdrawal of the exemption is not necessary to protect the public health or prevent or mitigate a foodborne illness outbreak, the FDA Division Director in whose division your farm is located (or, in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) will, on his or her own initiative or at the request of a farm, reinstate the qualified exemption.
(b) You may ask FDA to reinstate a qualified exemption that has been withdrawn under the procedures of this subpart as follows:
(1) Submit a request, in writing, to the FDA Division Director in whose division your farm is located (or, in the case of a foreign farm, the Director of the Office of Compliance in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition); and
(2) Present, in writing, data and information to demonstrate that you have adequately resolved any problems with the conduct and conditions that are material to the safety of the food produced and harvested at your farm, such that continued withdrawal of the exemption is not necessary to protect the public health and prevent or mitigate a foodborne illness outbreak.
(c) If your qualified exemption was withdrawn under § 112.201(a)(1) and FDA later determines, after finishing the active investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak, that the outbreak is not directly linked to your farm, FDA will reinstate your qualified exemption under § 112.5, and FDA will notify you in writing that your exempt status has been reinstated.
(d) If your qualified exemption was withdrawn under § 112.201(a)(1) and (2) and FDA later determines, after finishing the active investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak, that the outbreak is not directly linked to your farm, FDA will inform you of this finding, and you may ask FDA to reinstate your qualified exemption under § 112.5, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
[80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 16552, Mar. 24, 2020]
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Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321, 331, 342, 350h, 371; 42 U.S.C. 243, 264, 271.
Source: 80 FR 74547, Nov. 27, 2015, unless otherwise noted.
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