TAG Attending Food Safety Summit
2025-05-12 - 2025-05-15 | Donald E Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL, 60018, United States
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 513.
Learn more here!

Tariffs, Testing, and Trust: How Economic Pressures Are Changing Food Safety
2025-04-25 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Inflation and economic policies, like tariffs, can force manufacturers to adjust their sourcing strategies which may lead to increased food safety risks.

Join TAG’s Executive Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Ben Miller, who will discuss how food companies can re-evaluate their food safety programs – from supplier quality to workforce management – amidst rising costs and regulatory shifts. In this session we’ll review:

Where economic disruptions can weaken food safety

What control points should be reviewed and updated

How to strengthen supplier evaluation, testing, and verification programs

The role of customers in setting food safety expectations

Register here

TAG Attending AFI Conference
2025-04-24 - 2025-04-26
TAG’s Christopher Snabes, Director of Food Safety, will be attending the 2025 AFI Annual Convention on April 24-26, 2025. Be sure to stop by the TAG booth to discuss all things food safety!
Learn more here

Food Safety Supply Chain Management Virtual Conference
2025-04-23 12:00 - 13:45
Although the FSMA 204 compliance date has been extended, there remains global momentum for traceability, with many downstream suppliers still requiring full traceability plans, consumers pushing for transparency, and businesses discovering unexpected benefits – providing cause for businesses to continue their drive to compliance without pause. The extension has provided time to develop and fine-tune a robust, industry interoperable program.
Regardless of the regulation, a good traceability plan enhances brand reputation, operational efficiency, and risk management. Simply, it’s good business.
Join TAG for a virtual conference where you will learn the best practices of companies well into FSMA 204 compliance, potential pitfalls that you might encounter, how to navigate the complexities of FSMA compliance, and finally, how to achieve end-to-end traceability across your supply chain.
Register here

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-04-14 - 2025-04-16
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 14-16, 2025 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Ruth Petran, and Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
$875 per person plus course materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Lessons Learnt from Product Recalls in 2024
2025-04-10 09:30 - 10:30
In 2024, Canada experienced several product recalls. What can safety and QA experts learn to avoid falling short of safety standards? Join TAG’s EVP of Regulatory Affairs, Cameron Prince, as he discusses creating a roadmap to:

Assess the increased risks associated with complex supply chains and identify ways to mitigate them
Explore the reasons for recent recalls to avoid common pitfalls and issues
Implement best practices for managing recalls quickly and effectively

Learn more here

TAG Canada Attending Canadian Summit on Food Safety
2025-04-09 - 2025-04-10
TAG Canada will be attending the Canadian Summit on Food Safety in Toronto, Ontario, on April 9-10, 2025. Are you importing or exporting, or have food safety questions? Be sure to stop by TAG’s booth #5 to talk with our Food Safety Experts!
Learn more here

Beyond Trust: Holding Suppliers Accountable for Compliance
2025-03-28 12:00 - 13:00
Food & beverage manufacturers are under increasing pressure to obtain needed supplier data to meet regulatory, certification, and customer requirements. With many long-established supplier relationships, how should manufacturers be collaborating with suppliers to help reduce food safety risk, and establish proof of end-to-end food safety?
Join TAG’s Executive VP of Regulatory Affairs, Cameron Prince, to learn methods to receive timely and accurate compliance data from across the supply chain, and to proactively monitor supplier food safety risks.
Key Takeaways Include:

Recent FDA guidance on supplier control management
How to improve supplier data access for compliance requirements
Best practices for supplier training and ongoing monitoring
Steps to ensure FSQA has a voice in supplier selection

Register here

Virtual IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-26
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 March 25-26, 2025. TAG’s training, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, and Senior Director of Food Safety, Mary Hoffman, 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 and will be offered on March 24, 2025.
*$595 per person plus training materials and shipping fees. An additional $50 per person for the pre-requisite training.
Register here

The Cost of Quality: Reducing Risk to Protect Customer Relationships
2025-02-28 12:00 - 13:00
When it comes to food safety and quality processes, a missed step can be costly.
Audit failures, recalls, and supplier compliance issues don’t just hurt operations, they can tarnish your brand and put customer relationships at risk.
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Lacey Keesee, for a webinar where she will share examples of what processes you can improve today to not only ensure food safety compliance but drive down the total cost of quality.
Key Takeaways Include:

The hidden costs of poor quality and food safety failures
Where supplier compliance and traceability can impact risk
What food safety metrics help to drive down overall costs
What tools manufacturers are adopting to improve compliance and process efficiencies

Register here

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-02-03 - 2025-02-05
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 3-5, 2025 delivered by Senior Director of Food Safety, Mary Hoffman, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Lily Yang. Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion after successful completion of the training.
$875 per person plus course materials and shipping fees.
Register here

FSMA Friday: Stepping into 2025: Food Safety Changes and Insights
2025-01-31 12:00 - 13:00
As we step into a new year, what shifts in FSMA requirements can food manufacturers, processors, and distributors expect?
Join TAG’s Executive Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Dr. Ben Miller, who will share his views on what food safety regulations and industry trends are being tracked to roll out or continue in 2025, along with advice on how to prioritize and what to prepare.
Key Topics Include:

Realities of the FSMA 204 Food Traceability Rule within the food supply chain
The state of the FDA’s Intentional Adulteration Rule enforcement
Impact status of the Supreme Court’s 2024 Chevron Deference ruling
Emerging risks related to pesticide regulations and chemical residues
Predictions on FDA leadership changes and regulatory priorities for the coming year

Register here

Podcast Episode: Challenges Faced by Exporters to the US Under FSVP
2025-01-01 - 2025-04-01
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, for a podcast episode where he discusses challenges faced by exporters to the US under FSVP. In the podcast, you will find answers to questions such as: What would be the essential point of the FSVP program that the exporter of food to the U.S. should understand? What are the main reasons for “food recalls” when exporting? and more.
Listen here!

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere!
2024-12-18 16:00 - 17:00
TAG’s EVP of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Dr. Ben Miller, and Leavitt Partners’, Eric Marshall, will be joining Food Safety Tech’s Content Director & Founder, Rick Biros, for a Happy Hour podinar about food safety and quality. They will be chatting about the FDA’s FSMA 204 Traceability Rule and explore how the groundbreaking Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT) is leading the way in helping companies and regulators prepare for the new rule.
Register here

Chevron Deference and the Food Industry
2024-12-12 14:30 - 15:30
The Chevron doctrine was founded in the 1984 Supreme Court decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. That decision stated that if federal legislation is ambiguous or leaves an administrative gap, the courts must defer to a regulatory agency’s interpretation if that interpretation is reasonable. In the majority decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondi, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling that concluded that this type of judicial deference to a regulatory agency is inconsistent with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), which requires the reviewing court to determine the meaning of the law. While the Court did overturn Chevron deference, it left in place cases like Skidmore v. Swift, which say that an agency interpretation may be due some amount of respect; however, it is unclear what agency actions will garner respect from courts during review.
Learning Objectives:
– The potential implications of Loper Bright overturning Chevron deference for the food industry
– The response from industry and/or consumer groups since Loper Bright was decided
– Other court decisions that have affected and/or will affect Chevron deference
– How we may expect this to affect agency rulemaking going forward
Register here

FSVP QI Training: Don’t Get 483’d by Your FSVP
2024-12-09 08:00 - 2024-12-10 17:00
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 December 9-10, 2024 delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes. 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.
*$750 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

The Hidden Risks of Once-a-Year Food Safety Audits
2024-11-22 12:00 - 13:00
An annual food safety audit may provide a snapshot of compliance, but how do you know that you are meeting all food safety regulations year-round? By conducting regular internal audits, you will have the confidence that you are continuously meeting food safety standards from government bodies (FDA, USDA, etc.), GFSI recognized certifications (SQF, BRC, etc.), and your customer food safety requirements.
Join TAG’s Executive VP of Regulatory Affairs, Cameron Prince, who will share his 5 recommended steps for building and executing regular internal food safety audits that help build a stronger culture of food safety across your facility, and prevent costly risks.
In addition, you’ll learn:
• What the potential ROI is for conducting regular internal audits
• How to ensure thorough internal audits without overwhelming your FSQA team
• Tips to develop cross-functional training and collaboration
• What’s required for effective preventive actions
Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2024-11-12 - 2024-11-14
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on November 12-14, 2024 delivered by Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Kate McInnes. 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 after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Virtual IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2024-11-11 - 2024-11-13
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 November 12-13, 2024. TAG’s training, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Angela Ferelli Gruber, 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 and will be offered on November 11, 2024.
*$595 per person plus training materials and shipping fees. An additional $50 per person for the pre-requisite training.
Register here

From Crisis to Confidence: How to Prepare for Stress-Free Audits
2024-10-25 12:00 - 13:00
When it comes to preparing for a food safety audit – especially an unannounced one – those responsible for food safety and quality are often left to shoulder the burden alone. As these roles are needed on the plant floor, audit preparation might become a last-minute scramble resulting in non-compliances that could disrupt operations.
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Ranjeet Klair, as she explains how food manufacturers can create simplified processes that enable year-round audit readiness.
In this webinar, Food Safety Managers, Quality Control teams, Operations leaders, and F&B executives will learn how to:
• Develop cross-functional involvement to ease the burden on food safety teams
• Build a structured, ongoing project, around audit preparedness
• Simplify required documentation and consolidate data
• Plan for unannounced audits from regulators or customers
Register here

Food Safety Consortium 2024
2024-10-20 08:00 - 2024-10-22 17:00
TAG’s EVP of Regulatory Affairs, Cameron Prince, and EVP of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, Dr. Ben Miller, will be at the Food Safety Consortium from October 20-22, 2024. They will be participating in the following sessions:

CTEs and KDEs and TLCs (oh my!). Are You Dealing with a Traceability Rule Fear Factor? on 10/21 at 3:30-4:15pm EST
Using a Food Safety Culture “GPS” to Determine Where You Are and Where You Need to Go on 10/22 at 11:15am-12pm EST
Aligning the Industry through a New Public-Private Partnership for Traceability on 10/22 at 1:45-2:30pm EST

Learn more here

Supplier Management: Better Relationships & FSMA Compliance
2024-09-27 12:00 - 13:00
From acquiring timely compliance information to managing inconsistent data formats: When it comes to supplier management and FSMA, many food manufacturers are struggling.
Join Sam Davidson, Director of Food Safety at The Acheson Group, who will describe how to overcome supplier management issues and build stronger supplier relationships to ensure FSMA compliance. Discussion points include:

Reviewing supplier food safety plans, conducting audits, and requiring proof of compliance
Where technology helps streamline supplier verifications and audit-readiness
How to collaborate with suppliers on what information is expected and when
Tips for handling suppliers if goods arrive damaged or fail quality checks

Register here

Global Policy & Regulatory Trends
2024-09-25 13:30 - 16:45
Register here

Food Allergy Considerations: What We Know and What We May Not Know but Need to!
2024-09-11 09:00 - 10:00
Join TAG’s Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran at the New York State Association for Food Protection. Ruth will be speaking about Food Allergy Considerations: What We Know and What We May Not Know but Need to!
Learn more here

Chevron Deference Decision: The State of Food Safety Regulations
2024-08-30 12:00 - 13:00
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to end Chevron Deference, there are a lot of questions surrounding food safety regulation enforcement, including the FSMA Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204).
Join TAG’s Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel, Eric Edmunds, who will discuss the potential impacts of this ruling, common challenges food and beverage manufacturers still face in meeting FSMA 204 compliance (which is not going away), and what food traceability resources you can tap into to stay current.
Key takeaways include:
• How the Chevron Deference decision impacts current and future food safety regulations
• Tips for capturing and centralizing traceability data for easier access and audit preparedness
• Working with suppliers and distributors to obtain the correct compliance data
• Who should take part in food safety and traceability planning, beyond the food safety role
Register here

Allergen Awareness: Navigating Global Regulations and Safety Standards
2024-08-30 07:30 - 08:30
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Ranjeet Klair, for a free webinar on Allergen Awareness: Navigating Global Regulations and Safety Standards. This webinar is your chance to learn how to manage allergens and comply with international standards effectively.
Register here

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere!
2024-08-22 17:00 - 18:00
Join TAG’s President & CEO, Dr. David Acheson, and Food Safety Tech’s Content Director & Founder, Rick Biros, for a Happy Hour podinar about food safety and quality. They will look back at FSMA, how it has evolved, and discuss the future FSQA risks and challenges.
Register here

Webinar: Partnership for Food Traceability
2024-08-15 12:00 - 13:00
The Partnership for Food Traceability, a new public-private partnership (PPP) with the FDA, is launching to harmonize food traceability efforts throughout the supply chain and between sectors. Join the organizations that have developed this new PPP for a webinar to learn more!
During this informational webinar, we will discuss the role and value of the PPP, its scope of work, the partnership’s structure, and how stakeholders can get involved.
We invite all stakeholders to join the discussion and learn more about the Partnership for Food Traceability!
August 15 from 12-1 pm EST

Register here

Virtual Human Food PCQI Training
2024-08-06 - 2024-08-09
FSMA requires that food facilities have their Preventive Controls Rule for Human Food-mandated Food Safety Plan written and overseen by at least one Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). The PCQI must have successfully completed adequate training or be otherwise qualified through job experience.
TAG is offering a virtual Human Food PCQI training on August 6-9, 2024 delivered by Senior Advisor of Food Safety, Dr. Ruth Petran, and Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson. 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 after successful completion of the training.
*$795 per person plus training materials and shipping fees.
Register here

FSMA Friday: The New FDA Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Rule: Industry Impact and Steps for Compliance
2024-07-26 12:00 - 13:00
The FDA’s recent finalized Agricultural Water Rule for pre-harvest water marks a significant shift in produce safety regulations. But what specifically does this rule require from businesses within the food and beverage supply chain?
Join TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Dr. Angela Ferelli-Gruber, as she discusses what this rule is, its impact on farmers, food manufacturers, and restaurants that grow, process, or source raw produce, and next steps to help meet requirement deadlines.
Key points she’ll discuss include:

What the FDA Agricultural Water Rule is and how will it affect your food safety plans
Risk assessments and possible mitigation measures for you and your suppliers
Available resources and guidance to help you through the compliance process

Register here
