Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) Information for Food Importers

Starting May 27, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin implementing the FDA’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). The FSVP rule will require importers (defined in the rule as the US owner or consignee of the imported food) to validate that the food items being imported have met with US safety standards. The FSVP is intended to be a flexible, risk-based, program to verify foreign suppliers and the safety of the food they produce. Two key requirements to be instituted by the FSVP include:­

• Identification of the “FSVP Importer” for food products imported into the US.
• The FSVP Importer must verify their suppliers are employing prevention-based food safety practices. Importers will need to have a plan in place that identifies potential hazards for all food items they are importing.

In addition, as it now stands, the FSVP Importer must be identified on ACE entry documents after May 27, 2017. For customs brokers, this means that, after May 27, for each line entry of food product offered for import into the US, the name, contact info, and DUNS # of the FSVP Importer must be provided in ACE at the time of entry.

For further information, please see the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (NCBFAA) FSVP fact sheet, or visit the FDA website here and here. For any questions or comments please call Deringer’s Compliance Department at (518) 298-8281 or email to Compliance@anderinger.com.