The FDA takes Important Steps in Modernizing the Food Safety System / Food & Drug Administration
Moves to implement FDA Food Safety Modernization Act to further protect consumers from foodborne illness
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today took one of the most significant steps in decades to prevent foodborne illness by finalizing the first two of seven major rules under the bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Today’s action is the first step in putting greater emphasis on the prevention of foodborne illness, holding imported food to the same food safety standard as domestically produced food, and developing a nationally integrated food safety system in partnership with state and local authorities.
An estimated 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick each year from foodborne diseases, according to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year. Over the past few years, high-profile outbreaks related to various foods, from spinach to peanut products, have underscored the need to make continuous improvements in food safety.
“Today’s announcement sets us on the path to a modern food safety system that will prevent illnesses and continue to build confidence in the safety of the food served to our families every day,” said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, acting FDA commissioner.
The two rules finalized today, the preventive controls rules, focus on implementing modern food manufacturing processes for both human and animal foods. Today’s announcement will ensure that food companies are taking action and working with the FDA to prevent hazards to customers on the front end, rather than waiting to act until an outbreak has occurred.
The preventive controls rules require human and animal food facilities to develop and implement written food safety plans that indicate the possible problems that could affect the safety of their products and outline steps the facility would take to prevent or significantly minimize the likelihood of those problems occurring. This means that food companies will be accountable for monitoring their facilities and identifying any potential hazards in their products and prevent those hazards. Under these rules, the FDA will be able to assess these systems and their outcomes to prevent problems, will better be able to respond when food safety problems occur, and better protect the safety of manufactured food.
The preventive controls final rules announced today are the result of an extensive outreach effort, and incorporate thousands of public comments, including valuable input from farmers, consumers, the food industry and academic experts, to create a flexible and targeted approach to ensuring food safety.
“We’ve been working with states, food companies, farmers and consumers to create smart, practical and meaningful rules,” said Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, FDA. “And we have made a firm commitment to provide guidance, technical assistance and training to advance a food safety culture that puts prevention first.”
Once the seven FSMA rules are finalized in 2016, they will work together to systematically strengthen the food safety system and better protect public health.
FDA Proposed Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label / Food & Drug Administration
The FDA is proposing to update the Nutrition Facts label found on most food packages in the United States. The Nutrition Facts label, introduced 20 years ago, helps consumers make informed food choices and maintain healthy dietary practices. If adopted, the proposed changes would include the following.
- Greater Understanding of Nutrition Science
- Updated Serving Size Requirements and New Labeling Requirements for Certain Package Sizes
- Refreshed Design
March 2014, FDA issues two proposed rules which would update the Nutrition Facts label.
July 2015, FDA issues a supplemental proposed rule that would, among other things: (1) require declaration of the percent daily value (%DV) for added sugars; and (2) change the current footnote on the Nutrition Facts label.
Commenting on the Supplemental Proposed Rule for Updating the Nutrition Facts Label
FDA issued two proposed rules and one supplemental proposed rule on updating the nutrition facts label. The rules are published in the Federal Register so that members of the public can review them and send their comments to us. The public is given a period of time to submit their comments. FDA will consider comments on the original proposed rules and supplemental proposed rule before issuing a final rule.
Commenting on the supplemental proposed rule concerning added sugars and the label footnote begins July 27, 2015. Comments are due October 13, 2015.
View the Supplemental Proposed Rule here
Lacey Act Import Declaration: Latest Schedule of Enforcement for Plant and Plant Products / U.S. Department of Agriculture
As of August 6 the Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service put into effect phase V of the Lacey Act import declaration enforcement schedule. Therefore, imports of plants and plant products under the following 20 HTSUS subheadings must now be accompanied by an import declaration (PPQ form 505).
- 4416.00.3010 (new casks, barrels and parts of wood)
- 4416.00.3020 (used assembled casks of wood)
- 4416.00.3030 (used unassembled casks of wood)
- 4416.00.6010 (new barrel staves of wood)
- 4416.00.6020 (new barrel hoops of softwood)
- 4416.00.6030 (new tight barrelheads of wood)
- 4416.00.6040 (used barrels staves of softwood)
- 4416.00.6050 (used hoops, tight barrelheads of softwood)
- 4416.00.9020 (new other casks, barrels, wood)
- 4416.00.9040 (used other cooper goods, wood)
- 8211.92.6000 (hunting knives with wood handles)
- 8215.99.2400 (table barbeque forks with wood handles)
- 9401.61.2010 (upholstered teak chairs, household)
- 9401.61.2030 (upholstered teak chairs, other)
- 9401.90.1500 (parts of bent-wood seats)
- 9403.30.4000 (bent-wood office furniture)
- 9403.40.4000 (bent-wood kitchen furniture)
- 9403.50.4000 (bent-wood bedroom furniture)
- 9403.60.4000 (other bent-wood furniture)
- 9614.00.2100 (rough wood blocks for smoking pipe manufacture)
Schedule of Enforcement of the Plant and Plant Product Declaration Requirement
(This Version - dated September 02, 2015 - supersedes all previous versions)
ICE, CBP Leadership Emphasize Collaboration in Trade Enforcement / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection gathered this week to receive key training in the prevention of textile trade fraud that threatens the U.S. economy, restricts the competitiveness of U.S. industry and endangers the health and safety of the American public.
The special agents from HSI and the import specialists from CBP graduated to members of Textile Production Verification Teams (TPVT), elite groups of individuals who deploy to foreign textile factories that export goods to the United States, in order to verify production and manufacturing capabilities.
“Working with our partners at CBP to develop the Textile Production Verification Teams is absolutely important to us,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Peter Edge. “We continue to invest in the commercial fraud program and to invest in training because it’s significant to the U.S. economy and it’s an expertise we can’t lose.”
The class received guidance from HSI’s International Operations office on preparations for deployments and rules and regulations to follow overseas. They received instruction on how to interview personnel at foreign factories and how to properly analyze and review regulatory documents. And, industry representatives briefed the agents and specialists on why trade enforcement is critical.
“U.S. Customs authorities enforce trade regulations by issuing penalties, refusing shipments and seizing goods, but they’re not effective without the agents and officers on the ground,” said Assistant Commissioner Brenda Smith, who leads CBP’s Office of International Trade.
Smith noted there is language in trade agreements that allow HSI and CBP to visit foreign textile factories to ensure proper regulations are being followed.
HSI agents and CBP officers visit around 10 foreign countries and inspect hundreds of factories every year as part of the TPVT program. Findings of impropriety are reported back to analysts and program managers at headquarters so that appropriate measures can be taken in the field and at ports and mailing facilities.
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, a task-force agency that responds to intellectual property theft and enforces international trade laws, created the three-day training and hosted agents and officers who came from across the country. HSI’s Trade Enforcement Unit is stationed at the IPR Center and develops operations into trade crimes that present safety violations, counter U.S. economic interests and circumvent import duties.
Cellular devices contain counterfeit accessories
DALLAS - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport seized 30,000 mobile phones and accessories, valued at more than $960,000.
The shipment of phones was seized for intellectual property rights (IPR) violations.
CBP officers conducted an inspection of mobile phones and accessories when they discovered Underwriters Laboratory (UL) markings on the battery and the charging cord that appeared to be counterfeit. CBP officers and import specialists contacted UL who determined that the UL mark was in fact fraudulent. Underwriters Laboratory has recorded its trademark with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This shipment of counterfeit items which originated in China was enroute to Louisiana when CBP officers seized the shipment, Aug. 18.
“Counterfeiters have become increasingly sophisticated and aggressive in their efforts to pass unsafe and low quality products to American consumers,” said Dallas CBP Port Director Cleatus Hunt. “This seizure protects the trademark holder and its employees while denying profits to counterfeiters.”
CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive IPR enforcement program. CBP targets and seizes imports of counterfeit and pirated goods, and enforces exclusion orders on patent-infringing and other IPR violative goods.
On a typical day in fiscal year 2014, CBP officers around the country seized more than $3.4 million worth of products because of IPR violations. Since 2007, CBP identified IPR enforcement as a priority trade mission. For additional statistics and a list of the most popular counterfeit items, visit the fiscal year 2014 IPR report.
Record Cargo Numbers Continue at the Port / Port of Long Beach
Back-to-back records reflect customer and consumer confidence
For the second month in a row, the Port of Long Beach broke its own record for cargo volume in its 104-year history. In a clear sign that customers are confident in the Port, overall cargo volume grew by 22.8 percent in August compared to the same month last year.
Cargo volume, measured by the number of containers moving through the Port, reached 703,652 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The amount beats July’s cargo volume and marks two consecutive months of record-breaking volumes. A total of 1,393,896 TEUs moved through the Port of Long Beach in July and August.
“Our partners once again have expressed their confidence in the Port of Long Beach and we thank them for their business,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Jon Slangerup. “We have been working with all our stakeholders and the results are our best month ever.”
As consumer confidence grows, the dollar strengthens and retailers stock shelves, the Port of Long Beach’s strategic partnerships continue to yield positive results. Through the first eight months of 2015, Long Beach cargo numbers are growing faster than the overall economy and are up 5.4 percent compared to the first eight months of 2014.
“We thank our partners for choosing the Port of Long Beach,” said Slangerup. “We’re building the port of the future by investing $4 billion in improvements because as the economy grows, we will grow. We have not seen volume like this in our entire 104-year history and that is the clearest sign that consumers are buying.”
Not only did imports climb to 358,262 TEUs, or a 19.1 percent increase over last year, but exports grew 9.4 percent to 138,765 TEUs. Empty containers, meanwhile, rose 42.1 percent with 206,625 TEUs.