The U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally finalized its regulatory approach for how farms will be required to manage the food safety risk posed by preharvest water applications that contact fruit. The compliance dates for the new rule, which is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule, take effect for large farms this month and for small farms next year. The final rule replaced the initial approach that included water testing criteria with an annual risk assessment approach specific to each farm.  This change makes the regulation both more flexible and more complicated, according to experts who have been on the speaking circuit at industry meetings this past fall and winter.