Moving Forward
It will take human and financial resources to comply with FSMA’s rules. But for the most part, the industry views the new regulations as common sense and worthy of the time and effort required to comply.
Lynch believes the FSMA rules “will provide protection for both consumers and the entire supply chain. Consumers must be able to purchase and enjoy products without the fear of debilitating illness. Members of the supply chain must protect themselves from lost sales, service interruptions, and lost trust brought about by foodborne illness outbreaks.”
“I haven’t heard too many complaints from our members about the cost,” shares McEntire. “They’re willing to make investments, if those investments really do improve food safety.”
Lynch concurs and is convinced the cost of FSMA will always be less than the cost of not implementing food safety procedures. That said, the path to compliance may not be smooth. Noting that the industry is less than a year into the process, McEntire says, “I predict a bumpy road. We’ll learn a lot, both on the industry side and on the regulatory side, [which will likely prompt more] change as rules are interpreted.”
Image: Ramon Antinolo/Shutterstock.com
