The International Boston Seafood Show just keeps growing. This year, the show had nearly 1000 exhibitors, with many educational panels, attendees, and opportunities for business and B2B networking. The Boston Seafood Show provides the seafood industry each year with a unique opportunity to source, supply and connect with each other. Ben England and Rick Quinn from FDAImports.com and Shelly Li, from ExportToUSA.com.cn, attended the show this year.
Mr. England presented alongside FDA’s John Verbeten (Division of Import Operations) in a key Panel Discussion entitled “Seafood Safety and Compliance with FDA and CBP Regulations as Implemented by the Food Safety Modernization Act.” Mr. England’s long experience at FDA and dealing with the agency’s integration with CBP and USDA allowed him to explain how the seafood industry will not be as “exempt” from FSMA as Congress seems to have intended. Mr. England focused on the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, the effect of recent Proposed Rules (HARPC and revisions to the Food cGMPs) and how the new authorities will impact the seafood industry.
The FDAImports.com team met with many industry members and was pleased to make connections with many companies and organizations, especially those from the Philippines and Malaysia. FDAImports.com is expanding into ASEAN member countries and is already working more extensively with firms in these countries on FDA, USDA, and US Customs compliance.
