FSMA Friday September Updates

September saw two noteworthy FSMA developments of which food companies throughout the U.S. should be aware. For one, the FDA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) have recently reached an agreement to partner together to implement the FSMA Produce Safety Rule within the industry.

The agreement ensures states will have funds available to train inspectors, and facilitates collaboration with the industry as a whole to implement the rule. This development showcases the FDA’s continued strong commitment to stand behind the rule, along with its ongoing pursuit for a strong national food safety system. The states will be responsible for doing the actual work to enforce the rule on farms, but this agreement will now ensure front-line inspectors have the background, training, and expertise needed to fulfill this role effectively.

Next, the FDA has also unveiled its updated Food Defense Plan Builder. The Intentional Adulteration (IA) Rule has been top-of-mind for many food companies for nearly a year, and this new plan builder will help them create a food defense plan that’s fully in line with current regulations. While the previous plan builder was not completely in alignment with the Food Defense Rule, this new version has been updated to reflect the Rule’s requirements.