NEW FDA FOOD REGULATIONS FOR LOGISTICS BROKERS

Last month, on April 6th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started enforcing new rules to implement an element of broker responsibility and further ensure food would be kept safe from contamination during transport. Safety regulations are already in place. However, the new rules shift responsibility and give large business category brokers equal accountability in the safe keeping of the food they are moving.

The large business category brokers, already implementing these rules, are companies that have 500+ employees or have $27.5 million+ in annual receipts. The remainder of the industry will have until April 6, 2018, to implement these rules.

These requirements fall into four main sections:

• Vehicles and Equipment – Design and maintenance of all transportation vehicles must ensure food is kept in safe conditions from pick-up to delivery.
• Operations – Adequate measures are taken to ensure temperature controls are up to proper standards and other potential contamination from cross-contact with food from previous loads or various food categories is prevented.
• Training – Requires brokers confirm their carriers have proper documentation of their food safety training and an agreement that the carrier is responsible for maintaining a sanitary environment for the food they’re transporting.
• Records – All archives of documented procedures, agreements and training (for carriers) are up-to-date.

Although, as a small broker, this ruling does not impact Kingsgate until next year, we have always found it crucial to maintain sanitary transport conditions for food.  We take this concern seriously because the food that is shipped to restaurants and grocery stores feeds families across the nation, and must be cared for properly. These regulations are an added layer of responsibility to ensure everyone, including brokers, are held accountable for maintaining these standards.

What are your opinions on these new rules?

All the Best,

Jeff Beckham