(CFIA)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a new contact to request a change to the import inspection facility for meat and meat products.
Prior to a meat or meat products shipment obtaining the CFIA release recommendation from the Import Service Centre (ISC), the broker/importer is able to select a different inspection facility.
The change will be made by the ISC upon receipt of the Request for Documentation Review form.
However, once a meat or meat product shipment from the USA receives the CFIA release recommendation, changes to the inspection facility may be allowed under exceptional circumstances only.
To request a change to the inspection facility, you will have to contact Kim Rodrigue of the Import Control Division in Ottawa at 613-773-773-5334, during normal business hours and with all relevant information. Your request will be evaluated and a response sent back.
Showing posts with label Food Inspection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Inspection. Show all posts
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Review of Section 92, Meat Inspection Regulations
(CFIA)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is seeking your feedback on the current regulatory scheme for pre-market registration of meat packaging materials (Section 92, Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990).
All interested parties are invited to share their ideas, concerns, and suggestions on the regulatory scheme. We also want to hear your views on potential options and considerations to help us determine our next steps.
This consultation is open for comment until October 31, 2010. Information on the current regulations and an online questionnaire are posted on the CFIA website here.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Food Inspectors Focused on Imports Before Report
(The Globe and Mail – Gloria Galloway)
The agency responsible for food safety in Canada says it started to improve surveillance of imported food even before an internal audit found two years ago that it was not doing a good job of monitoring what was coming into this country.
Cameron Prince, vice-president of operations at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said Friday that his organization has taken a number of steps to enhance its imported food program.
Dedicated teams of food inspectors have been established to look for contraband items in the marketplace, Mr. Prince said. Others have been regularly redirected from their usual jobs at Canadian processing plants to conduct “border blitzes,” he said. [...]
There’s a better tracking system in place so the agency knows what food has arrived in Canada and where it has gone. And 538 new front-line inspectors have been hired since 2005 – though Mr. Prince could not say how many of them have been dedicated to watching the imports. Read more here.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
CFIA: Extended Hours for U.S. Meat Importers re: Inspection Notifications
(CFIA)
Further to our Notice of January 5, 2010 regarding the advance notification of the status of meat shipments from the USA and the distribution of MCAP Import Inspection Reports, we would like to advise you that CFIA is extending the hours of service for the availability of the toll-free number for requesting these reports.
Effective September 7, 2010 for shipments targeted for inspection, registered meat establishment staff can contact the CFIA Meat Import Control and Data Information Centre (MICDIC) in Ottawa at 1-877-682-5191 during the following hours:
Monday to Friday: from 08:00 to 20:00 ET
Saturday and Sunday: from 09:00 to 14:00 ET
If you have any questions regarding this procedure please contact the CFIA Meat Import Specialist in your area.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
FDA Inspection of Foreign Food Facilities
(Mondaq – Andrew Hudson, Hunt & Hunt)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has issued notices to all foreign food facilities registered with the FDA advising that it plans to conduct an inspection of those facilities between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2011.
The FDA inspection scheme affects facilities that manufacture, process, pack, hold or ship food to the United States.
The FDA has issued notices only to foreign food facilities that are registered with the FDA. Under the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act (2002), any foreign food facility that manufactures, processes, packs, holds or ships food to the United States is required to be registered with the FDA. If your facility engages in any of these activities and you are not yet registered, you are advised to visit http://www.fda.gov to register or contact us for further advice or assistance.
The FDA has reported that the inspections are designed to:
“identify potential food safety problems before products arrive in the United States, to determine compliance status of firms to FDA’s requirements, and food safety standards, to help the agency make admissibility decisions when food products are offered for importation into the United States, and to help ensure that food products under FDA’s jurisdiction meet U.S. requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”
Foreign food facilities that do not comply with an inspection notice risk having their products refused for admission into the United States and may have their registrations terminated.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Proposed Establishment # 713 for Reinspection of U.S. Imported Meat Products (9B/C/US)
(CFIA)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued a notice advising of additional establishments to the list of possible proposed additions to the list of designated facilities for the re-inspection of meat products from the United States.
CFIA has also provided a list of procedures for companies to follow if they receive a request from one of the establishments on the attached list. For more information, please see the CFIA Notice (dated August 10, 2010) here
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Meat Import Control and Data Information Centre Relocation
(CFIA)
Notice to Importers, Customs Brokers, Inspection Establishment Operators, Carriers, and Associations
Please forward this communiqué to staff and clients involved in importing meat from the USA.
The following is to inform you that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) Meat Import Control and Data Information Centre (MICDIC) is moving on Saturday July 31st and Sunday August 1st. Service is expected to resume as scheduled on Monday, August 2, 2010.
MICDIC provides meat pre-clearance for U.S. origin meat. The Centre is the contact to obtain the inspection notice for U.S. meat after the load enters Canada. The contact information will remain the same:
1. Pre-Clearance (certificate verification) of U.S. certificates for meat and poultry products Certificates: Phone: 613-228-6118 (Hotline) Facsimile: 613-228-6623
2. Enquiries regarding Import Inspection Reports IIR (a.k.a. Multi-Commodity Activities Program – MCAP) for U.S. meat shipments: Toll Free: 1-877-682-5191
3. Email: Meat-PreClearance@inspection.gc.ca
4. Mailing address:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Import Control Division
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0Y9 Canada
Thursday, April 8, 2010
U.S. Needs More FDA Food Inspections – Govt Report
(FlexNews – Reuters)
Federal inspectors are conducting fewer reviews of food manufacturing plants, with many facilities going more than five years without being checked, a government investigator said Wednesday. The drop in inspections could make an outbreak of foodborne disease more likely, putting the public at risk, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general. A shrinking workforce at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for much of the drop in the number of facilities inspected, including those deemed high risk by the agency, the report said.
An estimated 76 million people in the United States get sick every year with foodborne illness and 5,000 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is unacceptable in our modern society and an important reminder that we must provide FDA with the needed tools,” said Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which unanimously passed a food safety bill in November.
The measure awaits full approval from the Senate, which could take place soon after lawmakers return next week. A food safety bill passed in the House in July. Read more here.
Federal inspectors are conducting fewer reviews of food manufacturing plants, with many facilities going more than five years without being checked, a government investigator said Wednesday. The drop in inspections could make an outbreak of foodborne disease more likely, putting the public at risk, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general. A shrinking workforce at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for much of the drop in the number of facilities inspected, including those deemed high risk by the agency, the report said.
An estimated 76 million people in the United States get sick every year with foodborne illness and 5,000 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is unacceptable in our modern society and an important reminder that we must provide FDA with the needed tools,” said Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which unanimously passed a food safety bill in November.
The measure awaits full approval from the Senate, which could take place soon after lawmakers return next week. A food safety bill passed in the House in July. Read more here.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
U.S. Forcing More Meat Inspections in Canada
(Vancouver Sun – Sarah Schmidt, Canwest News Service)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is scrambling to maintain an increased presence at dozens of large meat-processing plants after auditors from the United States Department of Agriculture found inspections were too infrequent to meet U.S. food-safety standards, newly released internal records show.
News of ongoing resource problems at CFIA comes as public-health authorities are carrying out a high-profile listeriosis investigation involving tainted meat at a federally inspected Toronto processing plant operated by Siena Foods Ltd.
The ramped-up inspection cycle of at least one visit for every 12 hours of production was instituted last November so operators in Canada, including Siena Foods, could continue to export their products to the United States. These plants are also authorized to distribute their products across the country. Read more here.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is scrambling to maintain an increased presence at dozens of large meat-processing plants after auditors from the United States Department of Agriculture found inspections were too infrequent to meet U.S. food-safety standards, newly released internal records show.
News of ongoing resource problems at CFIA comes as public-health authorities are carrying out a high-profile listeriosis investigation involving tainted meat at a federally inspected Toronto processing plant operated by Siena Foods Ltd.
The ramped-up inspection cycle of at least one visit for every 12 hours of production was instituted last November so operators in Canada, including Siena Foods, could continue to export their products to the United States. These plants are also authorized to distribute their products across the country. Read more here.
Monday, March 8, 2010
CFIA: Reminder of Changes to Import Notification Requirements
(CFIA)
Attached is a letter from the CFIA Imported and Manufactured Food Division: Reminder of changes to import notification requirements.
Attached is a letter from the CFIA Imported and Manufactured Food Division: Reminder of changes to import notification requirements.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Windsor MP Brian Masse Calls for Enhanced Meat Inspections at Canada-U.S. Border
(Windsor Star)
Inspection of meat products coming into Canada from the United States has been cut back and Canadians could suffer for it, MP Brian Masse (NDP – Windsor West) said Friday. Masse held a news conference at his constituency office flanked by representatives of Windsor’s two locations where meat inspections are conducted.
“There have been changes to border policy and food inspection policy that are putting Canadians at greater risk than before and we’ve been fortunate enough to have some individuals come forward to bring that concern to me,” said Masse, who wrote a letter to Gerry Ritz, the minister of agriculture.
New government policy that went into effect on January 4 sees inspections conducted at Windsor Freezer and Border City Storage from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, a reduction of two hours a day from previous levels.
Masse wants to see Canada adopt many of the same stricter policies and penalties as the U.S. when it comes to food inspection. Since the new policy went into effect there have been 70 trucks that have been guided to inspection in Windsor, but ignored the order and continued on to their destination without penalty.
“The problem we have and we see here is, if that truck doesn’t report for inspection, it’s just basically let go, a slap on the hand, there’s basically no penalty,” said Phil Marchuk, president of Windsor Freezer Services Ltd. “In the States if you miss going to an inspection, your fine is three times the load you’re carrying. Nobody skips inspections in the States because it’s too risky and too much of a bother.” Read more here.
Inspection of meat products coming into Canada from the United States has been cut back and Canadians could suffer for it, MP Brian Masse (NDP – Windsor West) said Friday. Masse held a news conference at his constituency office flanked by representatives of Windsor’s two locations where meat inspections are conducted.
“There have been changes to border policy and food inspection policy that are putting Canadians at greater risk than before and we’ve been fortunate enough to have some individuals come forward to bring that concern to me,” said Masse, who wrote a letter to Gerry Ritz, the minister of agriculture.
New government policy that went into effect on January 4 sees inspections conducted at Windsor Freezer and Border City Storage from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, a reduction of two hours a day from previous levels.
Masse wants to see Canada adopt many of the same stricter policies and penalties as the U.S. when it comes to food inspection. Since the new policy went into effect there have been 70 trucks that have been guided to inspection in Windsor, but ignored the order and continued on to their destination without penalty.
“The problem we have and we see here is, if that truck doesn’t report for inspection, it’s just basically let go, a slap on the hand, there’s basically no penalty,” said Phil Marchuk, president of Windsor Freezer Services Ltd. “In the States if you miss going to an inspection, your fine is three times the load you’re carrying. Nobody skips inspections in the States because it’s too risky and too much of a bother.” Read more here.
Monday, February 8, 2010
FDA Commissioner Lays Out “New Approach” to Safety of Imported Foods and Drugs
(STR/World Trade Interactive)
In a Feb. 4 speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg laid out the elements of the “new approach” the agency is adopting to ensure the safety of imported food and drug products. Hamburg said FDA is “moving from a system that places most of the regulatory burden on the FDA’s modest inspection force, to one that creates greater oversight at points further back along the production chain.” The FDA needs to know “who is making our foods and drugs [and] where they are located,” she said, “and we need to be sure that these facilities are being inspected and are accountable for what goes into their products as well as the products they produce.”
Hamburg asserted that “massive change is required for FDA to be able to keep up with a globalized economy.” It is “simply not possible to count on interdicting everything harmful at our borders,” she said, noting that an estimated 20 million shipments of FDA-regulated imports will enter the U.S. in 2010 but that less than 1% are likely to be examined by FDA inspectors. “Similarly,” she added, “FDA cannot alone conduct a sufficient number of inspections at foreign manufacturing facilities to help ensure product safety.”
As a result, Hamburg said, “FDA must adopt a new approach …. an approach that takes into account the entire supply chain and its complexity; and an approach that will address product safety by preventing problems at every point along the global supply chain… from the raw ingredients… through production… and distribution… all the way to U.S. consumers.” Read more here.
In a Feb. 4 speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg laid out the elements of the “new approach” the agency is adopting to ensure the safety of imported food and drug products. Hamburg said FDA is “moving from a system that places most of the regulatory burden on the FDA’s modest inspection force, to one that creates greater oversight at points further back along the production chain.” The FDA needs to know “who is making our foods and drugs [and] where they are located,” she said, “and we need to be sure that these facilities are being inspected and are accountable for what goes into their products as well as the products they produce.”
Hamburg asserted that “massive change is required for FDA to be able to keep up with a globalized economy.” It is “simply not possible to count on interdicting everything harmful at our borders,” she said, noting that an estimated 20 million shipments of FDA-regulated imports will enter the U.S. in 2010 but that less than 1% are likely to be examined by FDA inspectors. “Similarly,” she added, “FDA cannot alone conduct a sufficient number of inspections at foreign manufacturing facilities to help ensure product safety.”
As a result, Hamburg said, “FDA must adopt a new approach …. an approach that takes into account the entire supply chain and its complexity; and an approach that will address product safety by preventing problems at every point along the global supply chain… from the raw ingredients… through production… and distribution… all the way to U.S. consumers.” Read more here.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
CN10-001 Strengthening the CBSA's Procedure Respecting Importation of Goods Contaminated with Soil
(CBSA)
1. This notice announces that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will be strengthening its commercial importation process respecting goods contaminated with soil.
2. Goods contaminated with soil are not admissible into Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for establishing the policy regarding the importation of goods contaminated with soil. The CBSA is responsible for administering and enforcing that policy to the extent it applies at the border.
3. Beginning February 1, 2011, non-compliant goods, i.e. goods contaminated with soil, arriving at the Canadian border will be restricted to a CBSA-controlled area and may be cleaned on-site by a mobile wash facility approved by the CFIA, provided certain conditions can be met, e.g. there is no risk of soil dislodgement during transport, operational capacity exists, availability of a CFIA-approved mobile wash facility. If a CFIA-approved mobile wash facility is not available, or if other conditions listed above are not met, the contaminated goods will be refused entry into Canada under the authority of the Plant Protection Act and the Health of Animals Act.
4. The costs associated with cleaning or removal from Canada will be paid for by the importer.
5. This strengthened approach is in line with the CBSA's existing commercial processes and procedures, as well as the CFIA's policy regarding the importation of foreign soil. It will further ensure that the CBSA maintains appropriate control over the contaminated goods, thereby preserving the safety and security of Canada and Canadians.
6. February 1, 2010 marks the launch of a twelve-month transition period culminating with the full implementation and enforcement of the strengthened process in 2011. This period will allow industry an opportunity to adjust their operations and ensure that goods arriving in Canada are clean and free of soil.
7. Under the current process, the CBSA may allow contaminated goods to be transported to either a stationary or mobile CFIA-approved treatment facility. However, treatment may only occur if certain conditions can be met, e.g. there is no risk of soil dislodgement during transport, operational capacity exists, availability of a CFIA-approved stationary or mobile wash facility. If the conditions listed above cannot be met, the shipment is refused entry into Canada and ordered removed at the importer's expense.
8. Inquiries and comments about this notice should be directed to:
Food, Plant and Animal Programs
Admissibility Branch
Canada Border Services Agency
Telephone: 613-957-6868, Fax: 613-946-1520
Sunday, January 10, 2010
CFIA: Importation of Meat and Meat Products into Canada
(CFIA)
Please note that as of January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will modify its procedure to request a change to the import inspection facility for meat and meat products… The full notice is here.
Also on January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will modify its procedures related to the distribution of the MCAP Import Inspection Report for meat shipments from the USA. The full notice is here.
New toll-free number for requesting MCAP Import Inspection Reports is available here.
Please note that as of January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will modify its procedure to request a change to the import inspection facility for meat and meat products… The full notice is here.
Also on January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will modify its procedures related to the distribution of the MCAP Import Inspection Report for meat shipments from the USA. The full notice is here.
New toll-free number for requesting MCAP Import Inspection Reports is available here.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
New DHS Center to Ensure Safety of Imported Goods
(World Trade Interactive)
The Department of Homeland Security announced December 8 the creation of the Import Safety Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center, a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility designed to streamline and enhance federal efforts to address import safety issues.
The CTAC will combine the resources and manpower of CBP and other government agencies – including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety Inspection Service – to protect the U.S. public from unsafe imported products by improving communication and information-sharing and reducing redundant inspection activities.
The new facility will be headed by and located adjacent to CBP’s Office of International Trade in Washington, D.C. Approximately 30 personnel representing all of the participating agencies will work at the CTAC. Find out more about the CTAC here.
The Department of Homeland Security announced December 8 the creation of the Import Safety Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center, a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility designed to streamline and enhance federal efforts to address import safety issues.
The CTAC will combine the resources and manpower of CBP and other government agencies – including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety Inspection Service – to protect the U.S. public from unsafe imported products by improving communication and information-sharing and reducing redundant inspection activities.
The new facility will be headed by and located adjacent to CBP’s Office of International Trade in Washington, D.C. Approximately 30 personnel representing all of the participating agencies will work at the CTAC. Find out more about the CTAC here.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Changes in Processing U.S. Meat Shipments at the Border
(CBSA)
Memorandum to Importers/Brokers/Carriers/Inspection Facility Operators/Associations
Subject: Discontinuation of the practice of advance notification of inspection of U.S. meat imports.
The following is to inform you that as of January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will discontinue the practice of providing advance notification of inspection of US meat imports. This change in procedure is in line with the Government of Canada Food Safety Action Plan. Canada has full confidence in the safety of food imported from the USA. This change will make Canada’s food safety system stronger and will move Canada a step closer to full harmonization with US meat import controls
All meat shipments from the USA are inspected and certified by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) authorities prior to exportation to Canada. Importers/Brokers can submit their import requests to the CFIA Import Service Centres (ISC) for documentation review up to 72 hours in advance of the actual shipment arrival. This procedure will continue to apply.
Starting January 4, 2010, when a meat shipment is presented for electronic release, the CFIA Import Service Centre (ISC) will transmit a message to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) indicating if the shipment has been selected for an inland CFIA inspection. If the shipment is identified as a “skip lot” it will be allowed to proceed to its manifested destination.
It should be noted that ALL meat shipments that are presented on a paper release will be directed to report to a CFIA approved facility inland for inspection.
If an inland CFIA inspection is required, the CBSA Border Services Officer (BSO) at the Primary Inspection Line (PIL) will affix a special CFIA stamp (similar to the attached specimen) on the import documentation which will serve as notice to the Carrier to report inland for CFIA inspection.
As all US meat shipments must be released by the CBSA at the border, the BSO will continue to stamp the import documents with a customs release stamp.
The onus will be on Importers/Brokers to ensure that their Carriers are aware of this new procedure and that they know where to report in the event that their shipment has been selected for CFIA inspection. The Importers/Brokers are to provide the Carriers with the location and directions to the meat inspection facility that has been pre-selected by the importer prior to crossing the border.
Should you have questions regarding these new procedures, contact a CFIA Import Service Centre
Memorandum to Importers/Brokers/Carriers/Inspection Facility Operators/Associations
Subject: Discontinuation of the practice of advance notification of inspection of U.S. meat imports.
The following is to inform you that as of January 4, 2010, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will discontinue the practice of providing advance notification of inspection of US meat imports. This change in procedure is in line with the Government of Canada Food Safety Action Plan. Canada has full confidence in the safety of food imported from the USA. This change will make Canada’s food safety system stronger and will move Canada a step closer to full harmonization with US meat import controls
All meat shipments from the USA are inspected and certified by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) authorities prior to exportation to Canada. Importers/Brokers can submit their import requests to the CFIA Import Service Centres (ISC) for documentation review up to 72 hours in advance of the actual shipment arrival. This procedure will continue to apply.
Starting January 4, 2010, when a meat shipment is presented for electronic release, the CFIA Import Service Centre (ISC) will transmit a message to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) indicating if the shipment has been selected for an inland CFIA inspection. If the shipment is identified as a “skip lot” it will be allowed to proceed to its manifested destination.
It should be noted that ALL meat shipments that are presented on a paper release will be directed to report to a CFIA approved facility inland for inspection.
If an inland CFIA inspection is required, the CBSA Border Services Officer (BSO) at the Primary Inspection Line (PIL) will affix a special CFIA stamp (similar to the attached specimen) on the import documentation which will serve as notice to the Carrier to report inland for CFIA inspection.
As all US meat shipments must be released by the CBSA at the border, the BSO will continue to stamp the import documents with a customs release stamp.
The onus will be on Importers/Brokers to ensure that their Carriers are aware of this new procedure and that they know where to report in the event that their shipment has been selected for CFIA inspection. The Importers/Brokers are to provide the Carriers with the location and directions to the meat inspection facility that has been pre-selected by the importer prior to crossing the border.
Should you have questions regarding these new procedures, contact a CFIA Import Service Centre
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
FDA Opens the Reportable Food Registry Electronic Portal for Industry
(FlexNews – USFDA)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a new way to head off potential cases of foodborne illness – the Reportable Food Registry (RFR) , where food industry officials must use to alert the FDA quickly, through an electronic portal when they find their products might sicken or kill people or animals.
The requirement, a result of legislation, took effect with the launch of the portal.
Facilities that manufacture, process or hold food for consumption in the United States now must tell the FDA within 24 hours if they find a reasonable probability that an article of food will cause severe health problems or death to a person or an animal.
The reporting requirement applies to all foods and animal feed regulated by the FDA, except infant formula and dietary supplements, which are covered by other regulatory requirements. Some examples of reasons a food may be reportable include bacterial contamination, allergen mislabeling or elevated levels of certain chemical components.
The opening of the RFR electronic portal reflects a fundamental principle of the President’s Food Safety Working Group that “preventing harm to consumers is our first priority.” Read more here.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a new way to head off potential cases of foodborne illness – the Reportable Food Registry (RFR) , where food industry officials must use to alert the FDA quickly, through an electronic portal when they find their products might sicken or kill people or animals.
The requirement, a result of legislation, took effect with the launch of the portal.
Facilities that manufacture, process or hold food for consumption in the United States now must tell the FDA within 24 hours if they find a reasonable probability that an article of food will cause severe health problems or death to a person or an animal.
The reporting requirement applies to all foods and animal feed regulated by the FDA, except infant formula and dietary supplements, which are covered by other regulatory requirements. Some examples of reasons a food may be reportable include bacterial contamination, allergen mislabeling or elevated levels of certain chemical components.
The opening of the RFR electronic portal reflects a fundamental principle of the President’s Food Safety Working Group that “preventing harm to consumers is our first priority.” Read more here.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
President´s FY 2010 FDA Budget Proposes Food Industry User Fees
(Mondaq – Michael D. Flanagan et al., Foley & Lardner LLP)
President Barack H. Obama’s recently released Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes historic spending for the agency of more than $3 billion, an increase of more than $500 million over FY 2009 spending. One of the two major initiatives proposed by the FY 2010 budget is “Protecting America’s Food Supply.” To help fund the budget increases, the president’s proposal would impose four new user fees to generate more than $200 million. The president’s FY 2010 budget for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also proposes new user fees, but would require new legislation to allow the USDA to collect the fees.
Under the food safety initiative, funding for food-industry regulatory activities would exceed $1 billion, a $259 million increase over FY 2009 spending levels. Notably for the food industry, the budget proposes to collect nearly $95 million in new user fees. The proposed user fees would be allocated to register food facilities, increase food inspections, issue food and feed export certificates, and re-inspect food facilities that fail to meet the FDA’s safety standards. Read more here.
President Barack H. Obama’s recently released Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes historic spending for the agency of more than $3 billion, an increase of more than $500 million over FY 2009 spending. One of the two major initiatives proposed by the FY 2010 budget is “Protecting America’s Food Supply.” To help fund the budget increases, the president’s proposal would impose four new user fees to generate more than $200 million. The president’s FY 2010 budget for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also proposes new user fees, but would require new legislation to allow the USDA to collect the fees.
Under the food safety initiative, funding for food-industry regulatory activities would exceed $1 billion, a $259 million increase over FY 2009 spending levels. Notably for the food industry, the budget proposes to collect nearly $95 million in new user fees. The proposed user fees would be allocated to register food facilities, increase food inspections, issue food and feed export certificates, and re-inspect food facilities that fail to meet the FDA’s safety standards. Read more here.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Updated: Product Inspection of Imported Fish
(CFIA)
Please be advised that the following has been updated on the CFIA web site:
“Product Inspection of Imported Fish” Section 5 added to version 2.
Please be advised that the following has been updated on the CFIA web site:
“Product Inspection of Imported Fish” Section 5 added to version 2.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Vilsack: U.S. Should Have Single Food Inspection Agency
(GovExec.com - Jerry Hagstrom, Congress Daily)
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday he favors a single food safety agency, but he has not decided whether it should be located in the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration or an independent agency.
Commenting on the salmonella peanut butter scandal, Vilsack told the U.S. Rice Federation that the issue of centralization is key because food safety is both a human health and market issue.
“We are the only industrial nation to have two systems,” Vilsack said, a reference to USDA’s responsibility for meat, poultry and eggs and FDA’s responsibility for most other food products. Read the full story here.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday he favors a single food safety agency, but he has not decided whether it should be located in the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration or an independent agency.
Commenting on the salmonella peanut butter scandal, Vilsack told the U.S. Rice Federation that the issue of centralization is key because food safety is both a human health and market issue.
“We are the only industrial nation to have two systems,” Vilsack said, a reference to USDA’s responsibility for meat, poultry and eggs and FDA’s responsibility for most other food products. Read the full story here.
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