FDA has set tiered compliance dates for "covered farms" ( farms that are not exempt or not covered by the PS Rule) based on sales volume. Covered farms must comply with specific provisions under the Produce Safety Rule.
A farm under the Produce Safety Rule can be considered a“very small business” or a “small business" or "all other businesses".
| Covering | Very small businesses (>$25K-$250K produce sales) | Small businesses (>$250K-$500K produce sales) | All other businesses (>$500K produce sales) |
| Most provisions in the PS Rule | 1/27/2020 | 1/28/2019 | 1/26/2018 |
| Preharvest water provisions | 4/5/2027 | 4/6/2026 | 4/7/2025 |
| Water used at harvest and post harvest provisions | 1/26/2025 | 1/26/2024 | 1/26/2023 |
| Sprouts | 1/28/2019 | 1/26/2018 | 1/26/2017 |
For the purposes of this part, the definitions below are based on the average annual monetary value of produce sold during the previous 3-year period.
- A very small business is defined as a farm that sells no more than $250,000.
- A small business is defined as a farm that sells no more than $500,000.
- All other businesses are defined as farms whose sales are greater than $500,000.
