No images? Click here FDA Opens Industry Portal for FSVP Records SubmissionOn Monday, May 10, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opened the FSVP Importer Portal for FSVP Records Submission (Portal) for importers of human and animal and human food into the U.S. The FDA established the Portal to serve as a dedicated, streamlined way for importers to submit FSVP records electronically to the FDA, if they choose. The FDA Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Food Importers (FSVP), established by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), requires importers to perform certain risk-based activities to verify that their foreign suppliers are producing food in accordance with U.S. food safety standards. Read more HERE. GCCA Meets with the White House on OSHA Emergency Temporary StandardGCCA joined with food industry coalition partners for a meeting on May 12th with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the Biden Administration considers finalizing a COVID Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). OSHA sent the draft ETS to the White House for final review in late April. As a part of the review process, OMB is offering interested stakeholders the opportunity to request a meeting to share thoughts and concerns about the policy being considered. Read more HERE. CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Stop Wearing Masks Indoors and OutdoorsOn Thursday, May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that if you are fully vaccinated — two weeks past the last required COVID-19 vaccine dose — you don't need to wear masks indoors or outside, and you don't need to maintain physical distance. In addition, CDC emphasized fully vaccinated people should still wear well-fitted masks where required by laws, rules and regulations, including on airplanes, trains and public transportation. It is unclear what impact the new guidance will have on a potential OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard. GCCA will provide additional updates as they become available. Read more about this guidance HERE. Senate Confirms Jewel Bronaugh to be Deputy Secretary for U.S. Department of AgricultureOn Thursday, May 13, 2021, Jewel Bronaugh was confirmed by the Senate Agriculture Committee with a voice vote with no objections, which enables her to finally join Secretary Tom Vilsack at USDA. Now confirmed, she is the first person of color to hold the job. Bronaugh, previously served as the Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services and had broad bipartisan support during her confirmation process. As Deputy Secretary she will be in charge of day-to-day operations of one of the largest federal departments, with more than 84,000 employees and a budget of $150 billion a year. Read full biography HERE. GCCA Supports the Save Local Business ActGCCA joined over 65 other business groups in sending a letter to Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Representative James Comer (R-KY) expressing our strong support for the Save Local Business Act, which they both have sponsored. This bill would amend the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act to make clear that an employer may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee only if such employer directly, actually, and immediately, and not in a limited and routine manner, exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. This legislation comes at a critical time in the economic recovery when so many small businesses are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and are seeking legal clarity to help them grow their businesses, create jobs, serve their communities and meet local, state and federal obligations to their employees, customers and the general public. Read the full letter HERE. Read the text of the legislation HERE. On March 19, 2021, a bipartisan letter signed by 15 congressional leaders was sent to Biden Administration officials expressing concern that the World Health Organization (WHO) may modify its assumptions regarding viral transmission of COVID-19 via food and food packaging at the urging of the Chinese government. On Tuesday, May 11, 2021, the Biden Administration responded to that letter expressing those same concerns as the congressional leaders. Read more HERE. Call to Action: GCCA Conducts COVID-19 Information Survey As we are now past the one-year mark since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, GCCA wants your feedback to ensure we are providing members with the most useful COVID-19 information and that is presented in a format that is most beneficial and easiest for you all to digest. Please take two minutes to complete this seven-question survey. All survey data is anonymous and only shared in aggregate. Find the survey HERE. |