Sanitary Transportation of Food Rule: What You Need to Know

Sanitary Transportation of Food Rule: What You Need to Know | Transportfolio

Do you ship human food? What about perishable animal food? The Sanitary Transportation of Food rule, which is a part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), will take effect on April 1 for many in our industry. We have been getting a variety of questions around this ruling and what shippers and carriers need to do to prepare. In this blog, Chris McLoughlin, risk manager at C.H. Robinson, and I cover what you need to know.

First, take a moment to hear what Chris has to say about what this rule could mean for your business and the overall industry, and what you should keep in mind before April 1.

Three key takeaways from the video:

  • Which products are subject to the rule? The rule applies to items that are shipped open to the air, temperature controlled for safety, or shipped in bulk trailers or tankers via truck or rail.
  • When does the rule go into effect? There are different implementation dates for small and large carriers and small and large shippers. However, most shippers expect all carriers and transportation providers, regardless of size, to fully comply with the rule at the earliest date, April 2017.
  • How does the Sanitary Transportation of Food rule connect to FSMA? The Sanitary Transportation of Food rule is only one rule of several under FSMA. Each of the rules stands on its own. The language, definitions, and applicability of each rule varies. You should take time to understand the scope of each rule. You may find that your product is exempt from one rule, but included in another.

I want to reiterate that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has stated this rule is not intended to impose significant new requirements in the industry—in fact, the industry is already completing steps within the rule. The rule is simply a restatement or formal recognition of industry best practices and the requirement to document these processes.

As Chris mentioned, we have a cross-divisional team in place at C.H. Robinson to implement practices that ensure compliance with the Sanitary Transportation of Food rule. Our employees will also have training around the ruling.

If you have any questions around the Sanitary Transportation of Food rule and the impact it could have on your shipping transactions or your business overall, please reach out to your C.H. Robinson representative or connect with an expert. You can also visit the U.S. FDA website to learn more.

Jason Craig
Government Affairs Director
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