Western Growers members are invited to attend an educational roundtable tomorrow: the “Remote Regulatory Assessments: Understanding the Benefits of Voluntary Participation and Future Implications” webinar.

During the webinar, Michael Rogers of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will discuss the results of the agency’s remote regulatory assessment pilot and potential next steps for remote regulatory work at FDA. Representatives from several food and beverage companies who have participated in remote regulatory activities will also be sharing their experiences during the event.

Additionally, Pat Kennelly from the Association of Food and Drug Officials will provide updates on a secure document sharing platform and protocol for remote regulatory document review for state inspectors, and Priya Rathnam of the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) will provide remarks from CFSAN’s Office of Compliance.

The Consumer Brands Association is opening this webinar to all members of the Food and Beverage Industry Alliance (FBIA). Western Growers is a member of the FBIA, Western Growers members are welcome to join this webinar.

BACKGROUND

During the pandemic, food and beverage companies had to find the best way to host on-site Food and Drug Administration inspections — while keeping both inspectors and employees safe. FDA then began a voluntary pilot program for remote regulatory assessments that limited in-person visits while still allowing FDA to review facility documentation.

EVENT DETAILS

Remote Regulatory Assessments: Understanding the Benefits of Voluntary Participation and Future Implications

Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Time: 10 a.m. PDT

Speakers:

• Michael Rogers, assistant commissioner for human and animal food operations, Office of Regulatory Affairs, FDA
• Pat Kennelly, program director from the Association of Food and Drug Officials
• Priya Rathnam, director, Division of Field Programs and Evaluation, FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
• Courtney Bidney, director of global regulatory affairs and international nutrition, General Mills
• Maureen English Carroll, associate general counsel of regulatory and food law, Post Holdings
• Michael Freeman, global food safety, PepsiCo
• Renuka Menon, senior director of food safety, quality and technical services, Del Monte Foods
• Heather McIntyre, senior quality leader, Mondelez Global

Register: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

For more information about the webinar, visit the Consumer Brands Association event website here.