FSMA Friday: A Look Back at 2025 & Ahead to 2026
2026-01-30 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
2025 brought major shifts in compliance expectations, supply chain visibility, and technology adoption across the food and beverage industry. As we head into 2026, leaders are facing new pressures, from evolving FDA oversight to increased demand for real-time data and digital traceability.

Join us for a special edition of FSMA Friday, featuring an exclusive, interactive Q&A session with Dr. David Acheson, President and CEO of TAG and one of the industry’s most trusted voices in food safety, regulatory strategy, and FSMA preparedness.

Whether you’re navigating audits, strengthening compliance programs, or adopting SaaS tools to modernize operations, this is your chance to hear directly from the expert who has guided hundreds of top manufacturers through regulatory change.

Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2026-02-09 - 2026-02-11
The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk‐based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing, and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This course, developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”
TAG is offering a virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0 on February 9-11, 2026, delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Ruth Petran, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Lily Yang. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$875 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

FSMA Friday: FSMA's Lab Accreditation Rule: What Food & Beverage Manufacturers & Importers Need to Know
2026-02-27 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dan Rice, for FSMA Friday on February 27, 2026 at 12pm ET. Dan and SafetyChain Software will explore when LAAF-accredited labs are required, how the rule ties into outbreak investigations and import oversight, and what food and beverage manufacturers should do now to evaluate their readiness. Attendees will gain practical guidance on risk-based testing strategies, documentation expectations, and how to work effectively with internal and third-party labs under the FSMA framework.
What You’ll Learn

When LAAF-accredited labs are required

How FDA uses LAAF results in investigations and import oversight

What the rule means for your current testing programs

Key documentation and quality expectations

How to assess lab partners for compliance

Register here

Partnership for Food Traceability: FSMA 204 Pilot Program
2026-03-02 - 2026-04-30
The Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT), in collaboration with The Acheson Group (TAG), invites industry participants to take part in the Food Traceability Pilot Program (FSMA 204). This initiative gives organizations the opportunity to test traceability lot code approaches and contribute real-world insights that will help inform future regulatory and industry recommendations.
Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences directly with FDA stakeholders, evaluate practical approaches to traceability implementation, and gain early visibility into emerging best practices.
The pilot program is structured across three participation tracks:
Track One – Completed Pilots
Organizations that have already conducted traceability pilots can submit their findings by March 3, with results shared with the FDA by March 6.
Track Two – Ongoing Pilots
Organizations currently conducting traceability pilots may submit their findings by April 13, with results shared with the FDA by April 17.
Track Three – Future Pilots
Organizations planning future traceability pilots may participate through ongoing submissions and collaboration with the Partnership for Food Traceability.
Organizations interested in participating or learning more about the pilot program are encouraged to contact:
Ben Miller – Ben.Miller@AchesonGroup.com
Angela Ferelli-Gruber – Angela.FerelliGruber@AchesonGroup.com

Internal Audit Training
2026-03-26
Internal Audit Training will cover core audit techniques and methodologies, including how to follow audit trails, apply food safety best practices to real-world production environments, and assess product and process risks. Participants will learn how to plan and schedule audits for effective coverage, risk-rate non-compliance findings, conduct root cause analysis, and develop meaningful corrective actions. The training will also address best practices for reporting audit results internally, identifying broader systemic issues, and making practical, risk-based recommendations to strengthen the overall food safety management system.
TAG is offering a virtual session of Internal Audit training on March 26, 2026, delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Rich Simmons, and Director of Food Safety, Kate McInnes. Participants will receive a TAG Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the training.
Register here

FSMA Friday: Working With FDA: Practical Insights from a Former FDA Official
2026-03-27 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Don Kautter, for FSMA Friday on March 27, 2026 at 12pm ET. Don, a former FDA official with deep experience in inspections, compliance, and regulatory policy, will offer clear, practical guidance to help companies engage confidently and effectively with the Agency.

What You Will Learn

What FDA investigators prioritize during facility inspections, and how they evaluate your documentation.

How to prepare teams, records, and environmental monitoring data to avoid common FDA inspection findings.

Behaviors, communication practices, and on-site actions that build trust and credibility with FDA personnel.

How to respond effectively to FDA inquiries, 483 observations, and follow-up requests.

Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2026-04-21 - 2026-04-23
The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk‐based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing, and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This course, developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”
TAG is offering a virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0 on April 21-23, 2026 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Director of Food Safety, Lacey Keesee. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$875 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here

FSMA Friday: FDA, FSMA & AI: Navigating Regulation, Data, and Compliance Intelligence
2026-04-24 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Join us for an upcoming FSMA Friday webinar focused on one of the most rapidly evolving areas in food safety and regulatory compliance. FDA, FSMA & AI: Navigating Regulation, Data, and Compliance Intelligence will explore how emerging technologies and data-driven insights are shaping the future of compliance and decision-making across the food industry.
Taking place on Friday, April 24 at 12:00 p.m. ET, this session brings together industry experts Dr. Ben Miller of The Acheson Group (TAG), Dean Brown of SafetyChain Software, and Chris Brandsey of Frame & Flight. Together, they will discuss how organizations can better navigate FDA expectations, leverage FSMA frameworks, and harness the power of AI to improve compliance, streamline operations, and strengthen food safety programs.
Register Here

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) Training
2026-05-04 - 2026-05-05
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a globally recognized food safety system designed to prevent contamination and ensure compliance across the food industry. By identifying and controlling hazards at key stages of production, HACCP helps businesses reduce foodborne illnesses, avoid costly recalls, and enhance consumer trust. Required in restaurants, manufacturing, retail, and food transport, HACCP follows a seven-step process focusing on risk prevention, monitoring, and corrective actions.
TAG is offering a virtual session of HACCP training on May 4-5, 2026, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Kate McInnes, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Lily Yang. Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance bearing the seal of accreditation from the International HACCP Alliance after successful completion of the training.
*675 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here

TAG Attending Food Safety Summit
2026-05-11 - 2026-05-14
Come join TAG at the Food Safety Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. We will have a variety of Account Managers and Subject Matter Experts eager to converse at booth 225.
Learn more here!

Preparing for the CFIA Manufactured Foods Inspection Blitz
2026-05-29 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
As a former CFIA executive, TAG Canada’s Managing Director Cameron Prince has an insider’s knowledge of the workings of the industry.
In the first session of TAG Canada’s TCIFridays (TAG Canada Info Fridays) Webinar Series on May 29 at 11 a.m. ET, he will share his knowledge and current updates on the CFIA inspection blitz and what you can do to be prepared.
In the webinar, Cameron Prince will discuss the CFIA’s increased focus on Preventive Control Plans, licence checks, and enforcement procedures, and provide advice on:

What can manufacturing facilities expect if CFIA arrives at your door?
How can you prepare to help ensure a smooth inspection?
What, exactly, does compliance look like in 2026?
How do you ensure you are in compliance … and what happens if you’re not?

Register today to ensure you are prepared if CFIA shows up at your door!

FSMA Friday: Seek and Destroy: Responding to Listeria Positives
2026-05-29 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Listeria doesn’t hide, it travels. When your Environmental Monitoring program flags a positive, what you do next either fixes the real problem or just delays it. In this FSMA Friday session, Steven Tsuyuki, Food Safety Senior Advisor of The Acheson Group, breaks down the Seek and Destroy framework: an investigation-first approach that traces exactly where Listeria came from and how it moved — before anyone picks up a mop. If your team keeps chasing positives without closing them out for good, this session is for you.

What You’ll Learn

Why the Listeria Control Equation matters and how one weak link across traffic patterns, GMPs, sanitation, floors, or equipment design opens the door to your next EM positive.

What “Seek” actually looks like: your team runs a CSI-style investigation to trace where Listeria came from and how it moved before you touch a single piece of equipment.

How to destroy the right way: targeted investigative swabbing, rinsate sampling, and corrective actions that eliminate the risk instead of papering over it with an SOP.

Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2026-06-08 - 2026-06-10
The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk‐based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing, and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This course, developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”
TAG is offering a virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0 on June 8-10, 2026, delivered by Kate Mclnnes, Director of Food Safety, and Lily Yang, Senior Manager of Food Safety. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$875 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here

FDA Food Traceability Rule Pilot Program Launch
2026-06-23 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax)
Mark your calendar! On Tuesday, June 23rd from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT, Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT) will be hosting a Webinar to announce three pilot programs for which your organization can participate. The purpose of these pilot programs is to provide a forum for you to help your organization to assess your level of readiness for the Food Traceability Rule, which goes into effect on July 20, 2028.
The goal of each pilot group is:
Pilot Group 1: TLC Flexibility – Traceability Lot Code Flexibility
Demonstrate additional flexibilities for satisfying the rule’s lot-level tracking requirement.
Pilot Group 2: Industry Data Sharing via Electronic Sortable Spreadsheet
Initiate a series of hypothetical data intake exercises to test the capabilities of the FDA’s Product Tracing System.
Pilot Group 3: Industry Interoperability
Test data sharing to identify any technical difficulties prior to full implementation.
What’s in it for you? Access to a forum to…

Share your results
Get feedback
Understand where there is flexibility
Collaborate with your peers on strategies to gain compliance

Register Now!

TAG Attending Canadian Summit on Food Safety
2026-06-24 - 2026-06-25
Come join TAG at the Canadian Summit on Food Safety in Toronto, Ontario. We will have a variety of Account Managers and Subject Matter Experts eager to discuss your needs.
Learn More Here

FSMA Friday: Label Verification 101: Building a Bulletproof Process from Artwork to Shelf
2026-06-26 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax)
A mislabeled product is a recall waiting to happen. Allergen declaration errors, formula changes that never made it to the artwork file, marketing claims that outpaced what’s actually in the formulation, label mistakes are among the most preventable sources of FDA enforcement action and consumer harm.
In this FSMA Friday session, Tony Lukas, Director of Food Safety and Dietary Supplements at The Acheson Group, walks through what a solid label verification process actually looks like: mandatory vs. optional label elements, how to document formula and label changes so your revision history holds up during an audit, and which departments — R&D, marketing, regulatory, operations — need a seat at the table before anything goes to print.

If your label review process lives in email threads and tribal knowledge, this session is for you.
What You’ll Learn

Why label errors trigger recalls and FDA action and the specific gaps in documentation and sign-off that leave manufacturers exposed.

What belongs on every label and what optional claims add risk including how PAL statements and marketing language can create compliance exposure.

How to document formula and label changes correctly so your revision history holds up when an auditor asks for it.

Which departments should be involved and when R&D, marketing, regulatory, and operations all touch labels, and misalignment between them is where errors hide.

Register Here

Virtual IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2026-07-20 - 2026-07-22
To fulfill the requirements of FSMA’s Intentional Adulteration (IA) Rule, food facilities must develop and maintain a written Food Defense Plan (FDP). This FDP must be written by a Food Defense Qualified Individual (FDQI). Included in the requirements for the written FDP is a vulnerability assessment (VA) for each facility.
To assist FDQIs in the development of the written FDP, TAG is offering a virtual IA VA training from July 21-22, 2026. TAG’s training, delivered by Mary Hoffman, Executive Director of Food Safety, and Dr. Angela Ferelli Gruber, Senior Manager of Food Safety, follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for the “FSPCA Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments,” using the Three Fundamental Elements approach, upon successful completion of the training.
Required pre-requisite training: KAT and Mitigation Training courses are required to be taken prior to this training. This training will be offered the day before the course begins on July 20, 2026.
*$645 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here

TAG Attending International Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting
2026-07-26 - 2026-07-29
Come join TAG at IAFP in New Orleans, Louisiana. We will have a variety of Account Managers and Subject Matter Experts eager to converse at booth 437.
Learn More Here

FSVP QI Training: Don’t Get 483’d by Your FSVP
2026-08-03 - 2026-08-04
Under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) rule of FSMA, a qualified individual (QI) must develop and maintain a FSVP as well as perform certain risk-based activities to verify that a food to be imported to the U.S. was produced in a manner that meets U.S. food safety standards. This TAG delivered course will provide participants with the education and training needed to become a QI and develop and implement an FSVP to keep you safe from 483s.
To assist in your FSVP development, TAG is offering a virtual FSVP QI training on August 3-4, 2026 delivered by Christopher Snabes, Director of Food Safety and Mary Hoffman, Executive Director of Food Safety. TAG training follows the standardized curriculum developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and recognized by the FDA. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the training.
*$800 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2026-08-18 - 2026-08-20
The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk‐based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) is intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing, and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This course, developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.”
TAG is offering a virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0 on August 18-20, 2026, delivered by Lacey Keesee, Director of Food Safety and Lily Yang, Senior Manager of Food Safety. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
*$875 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register Here
