On November 14, the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture addressed the issue of invasive species and their impacts on the U.S. food supply chain. In his opening statement to begin the hearing Chairman of the Subcommittee, Jim Costa (D-CA) pointed out, “Along our southern border and in seaports across the country…
48 million people are sickened each year by foodborne pathogens. 3,000 are killed each year according to the CDC. For the non-Mathletes, that’s 1-in-6. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) passed in 2011 was supposed to change all that. With the FSMA, for the first time, the U.S. FDA is authorized to help prevent rather than simply respond to outbreaks of foodborne illness. But 4 years later, changes are still a work in progress.
After farmers complained that the regulations could hurt business, The Food and Drug Administration revised sweeping food safety rules proposed last year. Regulators say balancing the need for tighter food safety standards after major food-borne illness outbreaks in spinach, eggs, peanuts and cantaloupe against the needs of farmers who are new to such regulations has been a challenge.…
Registered dietitian and author Keri Glassman
Frozen food makers have launched their first national TV ad in defense of their products as the category fights to boost slipping sales. The ad includes the tag line, “Frozen: How Fresh Stays Fresh,” and is intended to address negative misconceptions people have about frozen foods. In a phone interview, Kraig Naasz, president of the American Frozen Food Institute, disclosed that the group plans to invest as much as $90 million in the campaign over three years.
“This is a long-term strategy. The primary purpose is to enter into a dialogue with consumers,” he said.…
In February of this year Cansler Consulting foretold of the fiscal challenges ahead 
at the Food and Drug Administration (click here to read article) in implementing the nation’s new food safety law, The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Late last week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a congressionally-mandated report outlining potential impacts of budget sequestration on defense and non-defense discretionary programs verifying our analysis. The 400-page document showcases the impacts that budget cuts would have on all areas of government, including the safety of our nation’s food supply that is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture.
According to the OMB report the Department of Agriculture would be required to cut a total $2.996 billion in the remaining eight months of FY 2013 (January to September 2013). This includes $86 million from the Food Safety Inspection Service that is responsible for the safety of the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products.…
With presidential politics in full swing it’s hard to find an issue in Washington where bipartisan support exists. But in the past two weeks both legislative chambers have overwhelmingly supported user fees and targeted inspections for the federal agency responsible for the food Americans eat and the drugs we take every day. Overwhelming Last week…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will face significant challenges in coming years to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The new law gives FDA additional authority to regulate food safety laws especially those impacting food product imports. One of the big challenges is how to pay for the stricter regulations?
Consider, about 65% of all FDA inspections of U.S. food manufacturing systems are conducted through cooperative efforts with state and local agencies. But state and local governments continue to operate under significant fiscal constraints.…
President Obama signed into law The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA – P.L. 111-353) on January 4, 2011. The Food and Drug Administration will publish their FSMA regulations this year. What this means for importers is:
