Christianson PLLP's Connie Lindstrom, Senior Biofuels Analyst and Jamey Cline, Business Development Director, presented at the 21st annual Distillers Grains Symposium in Indianapolis, IN on May 17, 2017. This Symposium provides the latest information on issues in the industry such as distillers grains marketing, animal nutrition, processing technologies, and governmental regulations. At this event, Connie and Jamey provided valuable information to attendees regarding the latest data and trends from the Christianson Biofuels Benchmarking system as well as current concerns regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). During Connie's presentation, her focus was on creating awareness of the ethanol-to-coproduct profitability Read More...
FSMA Enforcement: 3 Penalties for Non-Compliance
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is like a tiger with shallow teeth but a long reach. There are a lot of ways to get stuck fighting with one, but few ways for him to kill you. Likewise there are a lot of ways to overlook something with your FSMA compliance strategy. However, the FDA has three primary mechanisms for enforcement when it comes to imposing direct penalties for non-compliance. Those are: 1. Hourly re-inspection fees (~$225/hour range) 2. Product recalls 3. Suspension of facility registration FSMA Background Animal food need not be shown to contain contaminants to be considered adulterated.It is adulterated simply if it was prepared, packed, or held under conditions whereby it may become contaminated. Is Read More...
5 Signs Your cGMPs are Ready for FSMA
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) covers the operation of a facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds animal food for sale in the United States. Renewable fuels facilities producing feed co-products are no exception. In fact, if you are a biofuels producer that sells co-products later used as an ingredient in animal feed (ex. distillers grains, corn oil, glycerin), FSMA is a multi-faceted regulatory program with which you will soon become quite familiar. Phase 1 Requirements The first phase of FSMA compliance requires implementation of “Current Good Manufacturing Processes” listed in Subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 507). cGMPs help establish the basic environmental and operating conditions Read More...