Seafood Import Alerts: Understanding the Basics
An FDA import alert listing can destroy a supply-chain, and even result in an import ban. To issue an alert, FDA only needs to convince itself that one is necessary. Their impact and ease of issuance make import alerts FDA’s primary import enforcement tool, making it...
FSVP Enforcement Expected to Accelerate
It’s been eight years since the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law. With that, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started issuing new regulations designed to strengthen the food safety system. At the same time, they took the “educate...
Resources for the Import Community: How does the “FDA Lapse in Funding” during the Shutdown Affected You?
Update 01/13/2019:Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced that they have increased surveillance sampling of imported high-risk products. Additionally, the FDA has expanded other activities that they have deemed "excepted, unpaid work because they're necessary to...
Seafood Import Monitoring Program to Extend to Shrimp December 31
Update 2/25/2019:Due to communication disruptions during the recent government shutdown, NMFS and Customs have extended the informed compliance period for shrimp and abalone to April 1, 2019. Update 01/22/2019:Due to communication disruptions during the recent...
Delay on US-China Tariff Increases
Update 02/25/2019: President Trump announced yesterday that the U.S. has been making progress in trade talks with China. Therefore, he has decided to delay the increase in tariffs originally set to have taken place on March 2. Posted: 12/04/2018: Over the weekend, a...
FDA Flexing its Muscles on Food Recalls
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a report that reviewed the steps FDA takes when removing seafood products from import alert. Although FDA intends to conduct a certain amount of sampling or inspections as part of their decision to remove a...
FDAImports Welcomes New Affiliated Attorney
Our team of associated attorneys Strengthens Resources The consulting practice FDAImports (http://www.fdaimports.com) announced today that Thomas J. O’Donnell has joined our group of affiliated attorneys to further develop their growing portfolio of regional and...
FDA Launches Export Listing Module (ELM) to Simplify the Maintenance of Export Lists
Export lists can be a useful tool for foreign food safety authorities to verify that commodities exported from the United States originate from a trusted source. These lists serve as an unofficial “certification” that the included establishments comply with U.S. food...
USTR Tariffs Expanded to $200 billion worth of Chinese Products
Yesterday the White House announced another round of tariffs on Chinese imports which will become effective September 24, 2018. This round of tariffs (referred to as “List 3”) was proposed in July and includes human and animal foods and ingredients, cosmetics, and...
Food cGMP Rules: FDA Stops the Regulation from Disappearing
Sometimes things take longer than planned and new due dates impact other commitments. That happened to the FDA, but they prevented a regulation from disappearing with just five days to spare. Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations for food go back to...