NGFA continues FSMA regional seminars

More than 150 industry members attended the NGFA’s initial Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regional seminar conducted in Modesto, Calif., on March 10.

The seminar was conducted in partnership with the California Grain and Feed Association and California Department of Food and Agriculture.

The NGFA is scheduling several regional seminars to educate industry members on the far-reaching new feed safety rules being promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement FSMA. The seminars, which build upon NGFA’s ongoing training and education programs for FSMA, are being conducted in cooperation with state feed regulatory agencies and state and regional associations affiliated with NGFA that will help industry members understand the changes, requirements and appropriate exemptions included in the FSMA rules.

NGFA Senior Vice President of Feed Services David Fairfield is leading the seminars with Feed Manufacturing and Technology Committee Chairman Matt Frederking of Ralco Nutrition.

Each session will cover FSMA major rules and implementation, and the new requirements for current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) and preventive controls for animal food. The seminars will focus on the animal food rule and corresponding affected facilities.

Additional seminars already are scheduled during March through early May at three locations in Minnesota, Spokane, Wash., and Wisconsin Dells, Wis., with additional requests being received.

• New Ulm, St. Cloud, and Rochester, , on March 29-31: “The FDA’s New Animal Food Rule – How it Impacts You” (In cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association). To register, contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Commercial Feed Program at (651) 201-6027.

• Spokane, Wash., on April 22 (In cooperation with the Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association). Register here.

• Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on May 11 (In cooperation with the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture).

The NGFA has in-depth analyses of FDA’s FSMA rules, as well as recorded webinars on the topic and ongoing education efforts. The 2015 Joint Feed/Pet Food Conference focused primarily on FSMA and FDA’s implementation of the law. For more information about NGFA’s educational resources on FSMA, click here.