FDA Extends Grace Period for Co-Manufacturers to Comply With FSMA Supply-Chain Program Requirements

The Food and Drug Administration will continue its policy of enforcement discretion for food facilities that have co-manufacturing agreements with brand owners and must comply with certain Food Safety Modernization Act requirements for supply-chain programs, it said in a Nov. 6 constituent update. The policy was set to end Nov. 6, but FDA has "learned of additional challenges industry is facing in trying to meet the supply-chain requirements," it said. Under the policy, FDA is not taking enforcement action against co-manufacturers that are not in compliance with certain supply-chain program requirements related to supplier approval and supplier verification. Industry has expressed concerns that confidentiality clauses in existing contracts prevent co-manufacturers from obtaining information about suppliers. FDA did not say for how long the policy would be extended, but said it would soon announce the extension in the Federal Register.