Leading food industry member associations have joined forces to form the Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration, with the goal of enhancing industrywide awareness of the impending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Traceability Final Rule, which fulfills Section 204(d) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA 204). The eight organizations comprising the new collaboration include:

• The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
• FMI – The Food Industry Association (FMI)
• GS1 US
• The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
• The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA)
• The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA)
• The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
• The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).

The Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration intends to disseminate clear, concise messaging and resources that enable industry to take action in preparing for the Food Traceability Final Rule, which was published in November 2022 and requires compliance from industry in January 2026. The collaboration will provide a forum where business and government officials can come together to educate industry and potentially help ease the burden of compliance.

Prioritizing the enhancement of awareness and understanding of emerging traceability technologies to help ensure the safety and integrity of the food supply chain, the collaboration’s core principles are:

• Operational effectiveness through collaboration
• Traceability for enhanced food safety
• Standardized data collection
• Widespread training and education initiatives.

Through united efforts, the collaboration hopes to accelerate industrywide compliance with FSMA 204. More information about the Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration and access to combined resources and future educational opportunities from all participating organizations can be accessed here.