Are you doing enough to prevent acts of terrorism in your facility?

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, March 6, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- D.L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. (www.newslow.com) has partnered with the Global Food Defense Institute (GFDI) to help spread the word about the latest United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, one of which requires that companies evaluate their food defense strategies and implement protections against terrorism. The FSMA legislation is a bi-partisan regulation that is aimed at reducing the threat to public safety from food, produced domestically or imported. By educating while they regulate, the FDA hopes to expand the knowledge base of food producers and protect US consumers in the process.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA, 2011) is made up of seven foundational rules. Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration (21 CFR 121, docket ID FDA-2013-N-1425) was effective on July 27, 2016 and requires that all foreign and domestic facilities who manufacture, process, pack or hold human food intended for consumption in the US address hazards that may be intentionally introduced by acts of terrorism or other adverse events that could affect the safety of our food supply. These food facilities are required to implement focused mitigation strategies to prevent such acts, which will protect the US consumer from terrorism introduced through food. One example of such a risk is a deadly disease being introduced into bulk stored food which is then distributed throughout the country.

We must also keep in mind the seeming prevalence of active shooter situations and other direct threats to personal safety that occur in workplaces around the country. If companies knew where their vulnerabilities lie, they would already have been addressed. Most owners and managers of food production facilities are not also experts in homeland security and food defense. It’s not just bank robberies anymore – nowadays, there are threats around many corners, and the more we know the safer we all are.

D.L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. recognized this gap within our own organization, and entered into a strategic partnership with Mr. Rod Wheeler of the GFDI to bring this important skill set to our clients and the world. He has many years of experience with assisting food production facilities with developing food defense plans. Research has shown that education does help, and people who have been taught how to react do perform better in actual high-stress, high-risk situations. The first step to protecting your people and your business lies in educating yourself about the realities of the world today and taking a smart, proactive approach that is unique to each facility.

Per the requirements of 21 CFR 121, food production facilities must undertake a written vulnerability assessment and develop a food defense plan. To address this requirement as well as other personal safety threats in the workplace, D.L. Newslow & Associates, Inc. and the GFDI are now offering the Food Defense Management Certification workshop, a 2-day class that educates the attendee on both FSMA compliance and other worker safety strategies. Mr. Rod Wheeler of the GFDI, a dynamic and engaging speaker who is regularly featured on Fox Business News for his knowledge of homeland security and defense, is our lead instructor. Now that the FDA has identified this as a regulatory requirement, all companies must evaluate their systems and develop a written plan for compliance. Mr. Wheeler can offer this service as well, either as a stand-alone or as a pre-requisite to an on-site Food Defense Management Certification Course.

Join us at a public course in Orlando, Tampa, Washington, D.C. or New Orleans, or have us bring the course to you. Visit us on the web at www.newslow.com to learn more, or call the office at (407) 290-2754 to speak with one of our knowledgeable associates about your individual situation. We live for our customers – put our experience to work for you!

Erika Miller
D.L. Newslow & Associates, Inc.
4072902754
email us here

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