Description
John T. Shapiro, Freeborn & Peters LLP. Presented at the 2013 conference
President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law in January 2011 against the backdrop of a series of food contamination scares and foodborne illness outbreaks that had consumers calling for a renewed focus on food safety. Described by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years,” FSMA represents a shift in focus from reacting to adulterated food after it is already in the marketplace to prevention and proactive risk management. The statute encompasses 50 new regulations, guidance documents and reports to Congress, which will be implemented over the course of five years and will cost the government an estimated $1.4 billion.
