Are you ready for FSMA? It's 'HACCP on steroids', says Leavitt Partners

While several aspects of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) are still being finalized, we know broadly what the FDA expects, and many manufacturers need to ask themselves some tough questions, said Leavitt Partners senior director for food & import safety Melanie Neumann.

One of these is: 'Do I really know who my suppliers' suppliers are?' she said. Others include, 'How robust are my supplier assurance systems?' and 'Am I chasing up gaps/issues identified in questionnaires from overseas suppliers?' 

Similarly, while the details of the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) have not been finalized yet, Neumann urged delegates to consider whether their key overseas suppliers might benefit from being enrolled into the scheme, which would effectively shift them into the "priority lane"​ in the event of any hold up at the border, she said. 

"You should consider this for suppliers you rely on very heavily. If the FDA stopped their products coming in for 30 days, would you be in trouble?"​