“My six year old daughter loves the classic story of a faithful and kind old elephant who has the ears to hear the sound of a very small person swirling through the space flotsam and jetsam on the surface of a small speck of dust – to the chagrin of a sour kangaroo and the joey in her pouch. I cannot help but identify with a bunch of minding-our-own-business types of small people, not hurting anyone at all, who are forced to convince the machine – represented by the sour kangaroo and the Wickersham brothers (and cousins and uncles and in-laws) – with all the voice they can collectively muster: “We are here!” It is time to become the collective Whos down in Whoville –or “fly over country” as the bureaucratic government elites call us and thrice scream the same chant.” – Ben England
If you don’t know about the coming FDA’s new imported food re-inspection fee you’re not alone. The new FDA imported food tax, slated to go into effect on October 1st, 2011, will bring an enormous increase in costs and fees to food importers and foreign food manufacturers. If, as a food importer, you’re ok with paying an additional $5000 here or there for a given imported food shipment, then you should go read something else. If, however, you’re upset by what will certainly represent a massive new tax on imported foods then now is the time to take action.
It’s Time to Tell FDA that You Are Here
The FDAImports.com team talks with food importers, customs brokers, and foreign manufacturers every day and from all over the world. We know how much it takes to get a product onto the shelf and how crippling an unexpected tax, fine, fee or detention can be. Benjamin England, Founder and CEO of FDAImports.com, is leading a new initiative to bring together stake holders to demand that FDA take notice of how injurious their new fee will be.
Currently, FDA is accepting comment on its recent notice about collecting imported food reinspection fees. FDA is required to seek comments from the regulated industry, including you: food importers and foreign food manufacturers. Anyone can post their thoughts on FDA’s website or provide detailed comment on this policy or any other, however, we recommend skipping the website and launching a direct and official path of correspondence.
The time to do something is now. Everyone is just starting to hear about this new tax even though we are barely a month away from it going into effect! Foreign Food Manufacturers and Food Importers need to make themselves heard loudly and clearly with the message that these fees are wrong and will crush small businesses in the food business – and according to FDA’s own words – most food importers are small businesses. If there’s one thing we understand at FDAImports.com, it’s how FDA thinks and what they feel compelled to respond to. Manufacturers and Importers need to mount an offensive and speak out, directly to FDA, in a way that ensures they are heard and their comments have an impact.
FDAImports.com is prepared to help food importers and manufacturers in drafting official correspondence to the FDA regarding the impending re-inspection fees. FDA will accept comments until October 31st, at which point no additional correspondence will be heard – but do not wait that long because the new imported food tax will go into effect 30 days earlier, on October 1, 2011.
A Comment… And a Coalition?
If you are a food importer or manufacturer that will be adversely affected by FDA’s new re-examination fee structure please visit our coalition and comments page. The FDAImports.com team is surveying the interest level of the industry to explore the creation of a coalition to fight the unjust FDA fee structure system. If you or your executive team is interested in joining or helping to establish such a coalition please email Mr. England directly.
We are here, but can the machine hear you? Make sure.
