By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Marketing The NGFA this week urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise its draft guidance to clarify that grain elevators that solely store and handle raw agricultural commodities are exempt from certain Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements, as permitted under the law, regardless of whether they are located on the same premises as a feed mill or grain processing plant that is subject to such regulations. The recommendation was among several made by NGFA in a statement submitted on April 18 to ... Read More
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FDA provides FSMA clarification on grain elevators and transloading
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded on April 5 to an NGFA inquiry regarding Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance obligations associated with a facility that consists of a grain elevator and a transloading operation. NGFA submitted the inquiry to FDA on May 24, 2016. The NGFA notes that FDA’s response is consistent with the unofficial guidance that’s been passed along to the industry: 1) transloading operations are exempt from food facility registration if they don’t hold (i.e., “store” food); and 2) combining transloading and grain elevator operations at the ... Read More
FDA makes templates available for third-party standards
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President of Feed Services The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week made available templates that food and feed facilities and importers may use to compare the standards established in third-party audits to FDA food safety requirements. The templates are designed to facilitate comparisons between the safety standards used in third-party audits and the food safety requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)-related rules for current good manufacturing practice and preventive controls for human food (PCHF), current good ... Read More
FDA issues draft guidance on determining business size
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a draft guidance document to assist businesses in determining their business size for complying with Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules. The FSMA rules for current good manufacturing practice and preventive controls for human food and animal food define a “small business” to be a business (including any subsidiaries or affiliates) employing fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees. The limit of 500 employees includes all employees of the business and is not limited to the employees at a particular facility. Under the two ... Read More
Registration open for next NGFA-Kansas State FSMA course
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President of Feed Services Registration is now open for the NGFA-Kansas State University Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training course scheduled for May 15-17, 2018 in Manhattan, Kansas. This course is targeted for businesses that need to comply with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) FSMA-related rule for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals. The FDA animal food rule requires that certain activities specified within the regulations be completed by a “preventive ... Read More
FDA to host FSMA hazard analysis webinar on March 6
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it will conduct a webinar on March 6 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST to discuss its Draft Guidance for Industry, “Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals.” More information about the webinar is available on FDA’s website. The link to view the webcast will be made available by FDA the day of the webinar. The draft hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls guidance was released by FDA on Jan. 22. It includes five chapters that provide an overview of: food safety plan requirements; ... Read More
NGFA recommends changes to FSMA-related regulations
ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 8, 2018- In a statement submitted this week to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) outlined several existing regulatory requirements that could be changed or eliminated to reduce regulatory burden on the grain and feed industry while still preserving FDA’s ability to fulfill its public health responsibilities. “The NGFA appreciates this opportunity to provide comments on existing FDA regulations and information collections for the agency’s consideration for repeal, replacement or modification,” the NGFA’s statement ... Read More
FDA releases hazard guidance in conjunction with AAFCO meeting
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President of Feed Services The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance on Jan. 22 to assist facilities that are subject to the agency’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals rule develop an animal food safety plan. The draft guidance’s release corresponded with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) midyear meeting conducted Jan. 22-24 in Anaheim, Calif. In remarks delivered at the AAFCO meeting, FDA stated the draft guidance represents the ... Read More
FDA provides insights on FSMA implementation at 2017 Feed and Pet Food Joint Conference
By Dave Fairfield, Senior Vice President of Feed Services As the keynote speaker of the 2017 Feed and Pet Food Conference, Dr. Steve Solomon, director at FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), outlined CVM’s key regulatory initiatives, including the on-going implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Solomon said that achieving a high rate of compliance within the industry is the overarching goal of CVM’s implementation activities, and reiterated that FDA will continue to utilize an “educate before and while we regulate” approach during its initial inspection ... Read More
FDA issues additional FSMA guidance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Oct. 19 issued a pair of guidance documents intended for facilities that may be subject to its Preventive Controls for Animal Food Rule or the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule. One of the guidance documents – Guidance for Industry #235: Current Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements for Food for Animals – is designed to assist animal food establishments in determining if they are subject to the current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) requirements in the Preventive Controls for Animal Food Rule. The 51-page guidance document ... Read More
National Grain and Feed Association
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