FMI Weighs in on Traceability, Front-of-Pack Labeling
FMI – The Food Industry Association has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regard to the agencies’ Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make America Healthy Again. In its comments, the trade organization recommended revising the Food Traceability Rule and the proposed rule on front-of-package nutrition labeling.
“FMI strongly supports the work of HHS and FDA to identify and eliminate outdated or unnecessary regulations as part of a broader federal effort to reduce regulatory burdens and increase transparency,” noted Jennifer Harcher, chief public policy officer at Arlington, Va.-based FMI, in a statement. “Deregulatory efforts will make it easier for the food industry to operate while at the same time ensure that food retailers, wholesalers and product suppliers are able to keep food costs as low as possible for consumers – a goal that both the Trump administration and the food industry support and prioritize.”
Continued Hatcher: “The Food Traceability Rule is one of the most complex, challenging regulations the industry has ever faced. While we appreciate the agency’s extension of the compliance timeline by 30 months, we also believe changes need to be made in a way that will improve the rule and the ability of companies to comply without negatively impacting food safety. Providing flexibilities on lot code tracing and exempting intracompany shipments will make the rule more workable for industry while still ensuring FDA is able to receive and utilize the data it is requesting to improve food safety.”
She also urged FDA to “reconsider its proposed rule on front-of-package labeling,” adding: “As we have shared with the agency throughout the rulemaking process, the proposed rule is oversimplified and could lead to consumer confusion. The rule as written would also require a complete redesign of most packaged foods, imposing significant costs on American manufacturers and retailers without a proven added benefit to public health. Many packages already contain Facts Up Front nutrition labeling that was designed with the help of FDA more than a decade ago and meets FDA’s stated goals.
According to Hatcher, such “reasonable revisions … will improve food safety and access to nutrition information without unnecessarily increasing food costs for consumers. We stand ready to assist HHS and FDA in working toward improvements that benefit all Americans.”
As the food industry association, FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — retailers, producers and service providers — to amplify the collective work of the industry.