[ { "page": 1, "items": [ { "page": 1, "type": "FIGURE", "location": { "l": 28.8, "t": 755.76, "r": 589.44, "b": 15.6 }, "text": "", "alt": "Decision tree for Maryland Produce Safety Rule eligibility and exemption, Part I", "long_description": "This is a decision-tree flow chart titled \"Maryland Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Rule Eligibility and Exemption Flow Chart.\" A label box near the top reads \"Part I.\" A Maryland Department of Agriculture logo sits in the title banner.\n\nThe flow begins at a green diamond labeled \"Start.\"\n\nFrom Start an arrow goes down to the first decision box: \"Does your farm grow, harvest, pack, or hold produce? (fruits, vegetables, microgreens, mushrooms, sprouts, nuts, and herbs) Sections 112.1 and 112.3(c). Complete the Produce Safety Rule Registration Form.\"\n\nFrom this box a NO branch (red circle labeled NO) leads right to a red octagon reading \"STOP. You are not covered by the Produce Safety Rule.\" That is a terminal endpoint.\n\nA YES branch (green circle labeled YES) leads down to the next decision box: \"Is it for personal consumption only?\"\n\nFrom \"Is it for personal consumption only?\" the YES branch (green circle) leads to the same red STOP octagon, \"STOP. You are not covered by the Produce Safety Rule\" (terminal).\n\nFrom \"Is it for personal consumption only?\" the NO branch (red circle labeled NO) leads left to the next decision box: \"Is any of the produce you grow and sell usually consumed raw?\"\n\nFrom \"Is any of the produce you grow and sell usually consumed raw?\" the NO branch (red circle labeled NO) leads right to a red octagon reading: \"Produce that is rarely consumed raw, as listed on the exhaustive list in Section 112.2 is not covered by the Produce Safety Rule (e.g., asparagus, beets, corn, eggplant, okra, potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash). Complete the Non-Covered Commodities Exemption if you are only growing produce that is on the exhaustive list. Reassess eligibility if new crops are grown.\" That is a terminal endpoint.\n\nFrom \"Is any of the produce you grow and sell usually consumed raw?\" the YES branch (green circle labeled YES) leads down and then right to the next decision box: \"Is your three-year average of gross produce sales less than $33,297 (dagger). Adjusted for inflation (Based on 2022, 2023, 2024).\"\n\nFrom that sales-threshold decision box, the YES branch (green circle labeled YES) leads right to a red octagon reading: \"You are exempt from the Produce Safety Rule. Complete the Sales Value Exemption form annually as it applies.\" That is a terminal endpoint.\n\nFrom the sales-threshold decision box, the NO branch (red circle labeled NO) leads down to a box reading: \"My three-year average of gross produce sales is greater than $33,297 (dagger).\"\n\nFrom that box a YES branch (green circle labeled YES) leads left to the terminal instruction \"Proceed to Part II.\"\n\nSitting outside the flow, in the lower right, is a funding acknowledgment box: \"This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $1,280,384 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.\"", "description_nodes": [ "Start", "Does your farm grow, harvest, pack, or hold produce? (fruits, vegetables, microgreens, mushrooms, sprouts, nuts, and herbs) Sections 112.1 and 112.3(c). Complete the Produce Safety Rule Registration Form", "STOP You are not covered by the Produce Safety Rule", "Is it for personal consumption only?", "Is any of the produce you grow and sell usually consumed raw?", "Produce that is rarely consumed raw, as listed on the exhaustive list in Section 112.2 is not covered by the Produce Safety Rule (e.g., asparagus, beets, corn, eggplant, okra, potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash) Complete the Non-Covered Commodities Exemption if you are only growing produce that is on the exhaustive list. Reassess eligibility if new crops are grown.", "Is your three-year average of gross produce sales less than $33,297 Adjusted for inflation (Based on 2022, 2023, 2024)", "You are exempt from the Produce Safety Rule. Complete the Sales Value Exemption form annually as it applies", "My three-year average of gross produce sales is greater than $33,297", "Proceed to Part II" ], "description_source": "claude-opus-4-8", "description_kind": "decision tree", "has_long_description": true, "reading_order": 0 } ] }, { "page": 2, "items": [ { "page": 2, "type": "FIGURE", "location": { "l": 0, "t": 792, "r": 612.216, "b": 0 }, "text": "", "alt": "Decision tree for Produce Safety Rule Qualified Exemption eligibility", "long_description": "This is a decision tree titled \"Part II Qualified Exemption Eligibility\" from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. It determines whether a farm is covered by the Produce Safety Rule or eligible for a Qualified Exemption. The Maryland Department of Agriculture logo appears at the top right.\n\nThe flow begins at a green diamond labeled \"Start.\" An arrow leads down to the first decision box: \"Does your farm on average (in the previous three years) as per Section 112.5, have more than $33,297† and less than $665,947† annual food* sales? †Adjusted for inflation (Based on 2022, 2023, 2024).\"\n\nFrom this first box there are two branches. A NO branch (a red circle labeled \"NO higher sales\") on the left leads down to the final octagon outcome. A YES branch (green circle labeled \"YES\") leads down to the second decision box.\n\nThe second decision box reads: \"Do you sell to Qualified End Users? Qualified End Users include: Farm Stands, Farmers Markets, CSAs, Restaurants and/or Retailers in MD or not more than 275 miles from the farm.\" From this box, a NO branch (red circle labeled \"NO\") goes left toward the final octagon outcome. A YES branch (green circle labeled \"YES\") goes down to the third decision box.\n\nThe third decision box reads: \"Do you sell to Non-Qualified End Users? Non-Qualified End Users include: Wholesale Distributors, Brokers, Produce Auctions, any sales (including Restaurants and/or Retailers) more than 275 miles from the farm.\" From this box, a NO branch (red circle labeled \"NO\") goes right and down to the yellow-outlined Qualified Exemption outcome box. A YES branch (green circle labeled \"YES\") goes down to the fourth decision box.\n\nThe fourth decision box reads: \"Are the majority (≥51%) of total food sales to Qualified End Users (QEU) or Non-Qualified End Users (NQEU)?\" This box has two outcomes shown as orange arrows. The left orange arrow, labeled \"More sales (≥51%) to NQEU,\" points to the final octagon (covered) outcome. The right orange arrow, labeled \"More sales (≥51%) to QEU,\" points to the Qualified Exemption outcome box.\n\nThe covered outcome is a large red octagon (stop-sign shape) at the bottom left, reading: \"Your farm IS COVERED by the Produce Safety Rule and subject to the full requirements of 21 CFR Part 112.\" This octagon is reached by the \"NO higher sales\" branch of the first box, the \"NO\" branch of the second box, and the \"More sales (≥51%) to NQEU\" arrow of the fourth box.\n\nThe Qualified Exemption outcome is a yellow-outlined box at the bottom right, reading: \"You are eligible for a Qualified Exemption under Section 112.5 and must meet the requirements of Section 112.6. Complete the Qualified Exemption form annually as it applies. Documentation must be submitted each year to be eligible. Without documentation on file, it is assumed your operation is fully COVERED by the Produce Safety Rule.\" This box is reached by the \"NO\" branch of the third box and the \"More sales (≥51%) to QEU\" arrow of the fourth box.\n\nOutside the flow, at the top right, a blue-outlined aside labeled \"Define\" (in a blue circle) states: \"*Food as defined in section 201(f) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and includes seeds and beans used to grow sprouts. (f) The term 'food' means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals. (E.g., produce, eggs, dairy, meat, honey, processed or homemade foods (jams, pickled items, baked goods…), beverages, foods/drinks purchased for resale (commercially produce and/or purchased from other farms…), sales of live food animals, and animal feed such as pet milk, hay, silage, grain…).\"\n\nA small footnote at the bottom center, outside the flow, reads: \"This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007444 totaling $1,280,384 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.\"", "description_nodes": [ "Start", "Does your farm on average (in the previous three years) as per Section 112.5, have more than $33,297† and less than $665,947† annual food* sales? †Adjusted for inflation (Based on 2022, 2023, 2024)", "NO higher sales", "YES", "Do you sell to Qualified End Users? Qualified End Users include: Farm Stands, Farmers Markets, CSAs, Restaurants and/or Retailers in MD or not more than 275 miles from the farm.", "NO", "YES", "Do you sell to Non-Qualified End Users? Non-Qualified End Users include: Wholesale Distributors, Brokers, Produce Auctions, any sales (including Restaurants and/or Retailers) more than 275 miles from the farm.", "NO", "YES", "Are the majority (≥51%) of total food sales to Qualified End Users (QEU) or Non-Qualified End Users (NQEU)?", "More sales (≥51%) to NQEU", "More sales (≥51%) to QEU", "Your farm IS COVERED by the Produce Safety Rule and subject to the full requirements of 21 CFR Part 112", "You are eligible for a Qualified Exemption under Section 112.5 and must meet the requirements of Section 112.6. Complete the Qualified Exemption form annually as it applies. Documentation must be submitted each year to be eligible. Without documentation on file, it is assumed your operation is fully COVERED by the Produce Safety Rule" ], "description_source": "claude-opus-4-8", "description_kind": "decision tree", "has_long_description": true, "reading_order": 0 } ] } ]