FSMA Infographic

Anything as complex as the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) begs for a more simplified explanation.

A good case in point is the myriad deadlines for implementation and compliance of the law by who is directly affected: large, small and very small food manufacturers (and their forest of suppliers), foreign-based food importers, transportation companies and so on. The FDA has done yeoman’s work in publishing online information materials; the agency also has put on seminars and webinars and the food industry itself has committed time and resources for employee training on FSMA’s many details.

That said, the world of communication is growing steadily more visually-oriented. Most newspapers and magazines emphasize video and large-scale graphics to help explain the day’s events. And the online space is predicated on a rich visual environment (best evidenced, perhaps, in the vast array of cute puppy sites and posts). Note: mentioning puppies is a good reminder that animal food manufacturing also is covered by the food safety law.

Here (below) is a graphic we’ve produced to help explain just one facet of FSMA — its key deadlines for full implementation. It is by no means inclusive; to portray every implementation date would require a graphic that would have to be scrolled up and down. But this should give readers a quick glimpse of those dates that are crucial to the new law’s rollout.

It is also worth noting that the law’s implementation could be delayed because the FDA’s budget is cut back, or the new Administration decides to review existing federal regulations. Still, there’s every reason to believe that the nation’s food supply, already among the safest in the world, will become even safer in the years ahead.

For households and their pets.