GMA floats benefits for participating in voluntary VQIP to FDA

摘要

FDA should sweeten the pot to encourage importers to participate in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)'s expedited review program by providing lower PREDICT scores, less frequent sampling and fewer foreign facility inspections, the Grocery Manufacturers Association suggests.FSMA (sec. 302) requires FDA, by July 4, 2012, to create the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP), allowing importers, who meet a certain criteria, to move through the import process faster for food shipments. Under the law, the shipments would have to be certified by an accredited third-party auditor. By July 12, 2012, FDA must issue a guidance document that outlines criteria for participating in the program, compliance issues and steps importers can take to become reinstated if their certification is revoked.