Podcast Episode: Challenges Faced by Exporters to the US Under FSVP
2025-01-01 - 2025-04-01 | IL
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!

FSMA Friday: Stepping into 2025: Food Safety Changes and Insights
2025-01-31 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IL
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

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-02-03 - 2025-02-05 | IL
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

The Cost of Quality: Reducing Risk to Protect Customer Relationships
2025-02-28 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
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 IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2025-03-24 - 2025-03-26 | IL
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

Beyond Trust: Holding Suppliers Accountable for Compliance
2025-03-28 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
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

TAG Canada Attending Canadian Summit on Food Safety
2025-04-09 - 2025-04-10 | IL
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

Lessons Learnt from Product Recalls in 2024
2025-04-10 09:30 - 10:30 | IL
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

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-04-14 - 2025-04-16 | IL
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

Food Safety Supply Chain Management Virtual Conference
2025-04-23 12:00 - 13:45 | IL
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

TAG Attending AFI Conference
2025-04-24 - 2025-04-26 | IL
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

Tariffs, Testing, and Trust: How Economic Pressures Are Changing Food Safety
2025-04-25 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
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 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!

FSMA Friday: Outdated or Overlooked? Rethinking Your Hazard Analysis
2025-05-30 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Is your hazard analysis plan really up to date or collecting dust? Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Kate McInnes, for FSMA Friday as she explores the hidden gaps commonly found within inherited HACCP plans and why now’s the time to re-evaluate. With updated PCQI training and increased customer scrutiny, outdated hazard analysis could be putting your food safety reputation at risk.
Key takeaways:

Common blind spots in HACCP plans (and how to spot them)
Why hazard planning should extend beyond the QA team
What the new PCQI curriculum means for ingredient-level analysis
How proactive evaluations strengthen food safety culture and customer trust

Register here

FSMA 204 Industry Interoperability Decisions and Operational Pilots
2025-06-04 13:00 - 14:00 | IL
Join us for an update from the Partnership for Food Traceability! Learn more about the decisions the industry has made thus far in aligning on a Blueprint for Interoperability for compliance with the FSMA 204 Traceability Rule. The PFT team will preview virtual simulations and operational pilots designed to test the current state of interoperable traceability and existing challenges across the supply chain. We will also share an update on our workplan timeline – and how PFT plans to make the most of the extended implementation date – in light of FDA’s recent announcement to delay implementation of the traceability rule for 30 months.
Register here

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-06-16 - 2025-06-18 | IL
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 16-18, 2025, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Lacey Keesee, 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 course materials and shipping fees.
Register here

The Do's and Don'ts of Preparing for a Recall
2025-06-27 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Food recalls more than doubled from 2023 to 2024. Unfortunately, most food companies discover their recall preparation is inadequate only when it’s too late. The difference between companies that handle recalls smoothly and those that struggle is not just about performing mock recalls; it’s also about having a clear understanding of the process. It’s about effectively managing and mitigating risks with practiced, prepared teams.
In this session, Director of Food Safety, Sam Davidson, reveals why most recall plans crumble under pressure and shares the specific steps that separate recall-ready companies from those that falter.
What you’ll discover:

The critical recall management mistakes that turn minor issues into major crises, and how to avoid them
Essential components every recall response program needs to succeed
How to run mock recalls that actually test your readiness
Why recall preparedness must extend beyond your quality team
How SafetyChain helps companies build a culture of recall responsibility while staying prepared for any quality or regulatory event

Don’t wait until a recall happens to discover if your plan works. In this 45-minute session, you’ll learn exactly what separates companies that respond quickly from those that suffer lasting damage to their reputation and bottom line.
Register here!

Ranjeet Klair to speak at Seafood Expo Bharat (SEB)
2025-07-01 - 2025-07-03 | IL
TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Ranjeet Klair, will speak at the Seafood Expo Bharat (SEB) at the Chennai Trade Centre in India from July 1-3, 2025.
More information to come.

FSVP QI Training: Don’t Get 483’d by Your FSVP
2025-07-09 - 2025-07-10 | IL
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 July 9-10, 2025 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

All India Spices Exporters Forum
2025-07-09 - 2025-07-10 | IL
TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Ranjeet Klair, will provide an International Food Safety & Compliance training on July 9-10, 2025, at the AISEF Centre of Excellence for Spices, focused on FDA, CFIA, EU, and beyond! Topics will include: Food Defense, Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Action, Recall Crisis Management, High-level Senior Management Food Safety, HACCP with reference to Food Safety Culture, and High-level FDA, CFIA, EU import compliance applicable to the spice industry.
Learn more here and Register here

FSMA Friday: Allergens, Labels, and Liability: Preventing the Recall You Didn’t See Coming
2025-07-25 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Undeclared allergens now account for 57% of FDA food recalls in 2025 year-to-date, a jump from 46% overall and a clear warning that the risk is rising. The pattern is clear: one missed ingredient declaration or supplier communication breakdown triggers recalls that could have been prevented with the right controls in place.
Join TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Lily Yang, for a deep dive into the specific breakdowns that turn routine ingredient changes into crisis-level recalls. This isn’t about general best practices; it’s about the concrete protocols that catch problems before they reach your customers.
You’ll learn why allergens remain the #1 reason for recalls (FDA, 2025 YTD) along with concrete strategies to get ahead of the risk, including:

What to include in your supplier manual to clarify roles, expectations, and change notification protocols, including language that ensures immediate notification for any ingredient, spec, or allergen change.

How untracked ingredient switches and allergen interactions trigger downstream labeling issues, along with proven frameworks to catch these sneak-throughs before they go public.

Why misalignment across suppliers, co-mans, and corporate teams undermines food safety, and clear steps for mapping “who does what, when” in label verification to prevent loose handoffs.

What FSQA, operations, and company leaders can do to align on allergen controls as a cross-functional compliance priority.

While total recalls are trending slightly down in 2025, allergen-related recalls are up 16% year-to-date compared to 2024, reinforcing that the cost of gaps in your allergen management system has never been higher. Every day without these controls increases your exposure to the recalls that blindside even experienced food safety teams.
A single missed change can trigger mass product withdrawal, weeks of rework, or permanent damage to customer relationships.
Register here

TAG is Headed to IAFP 2025
2025-07-27 - 2025-07-30 | IL
TAG is attending IAFP 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio! Stop by Booth #528 to connect with our experts in food safety and public health. Whether you have specific questions or just want to say hello, we’re looking forward to connecting!
Don’t Miss Our Speaker Sessions:
Monday, July 28 | 10:45 AM“Crossing the Finish Line: Industry’s Race to FSMA 204 Compliance”Speakers: Ben Miller (COO & EVP of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs) & Lisa Lupo (Director, Communications)
Tuesday, July 29 | 10:45 AM“Shaping Tomorrow: Bold Predictions About the Future of Global Food Safety Regulation and How Industry Can Lead the Way”Speaker: Cameron Prince (EVP of Regulatory Affairs & Managing Director of TAG Canada)
Tuesday, July 29 | 3:45 PM“Edibles and Drinkables – Food Safety Explorations at the Intersection of Food and Cannabis”Speaker: Lily Yang (Senior Manager, Food Safety)
Learn more here

Virtual FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Participant Course Version 2.0
2025-08-05 - 2025-08-07 | IL
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 5-7, 2025 delivered by Director of Food Safety, Kate McInnes, 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 course materials and shipping fees.
Register here

Live Webinar: From Chaos to Clarity: How Next Generation Sequencing Empowers Food Safety
2025-08-25 13:00 - 14:00 | IL
Come join Clear Labs and TAG on August 25th from 1-2 pm EST for a live webinar!
Click here to register for reminders and post-webinar options.

Register for webinar

Click here to skip registration and instead download the calendar event.

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Food Safety Culture That Works: How Real Facilities Build Buy-In and Prove It
2025-08-29 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Everyone’s talking about food safety culture. But most teams are still figuring out what it actually takes to build one and how to show it’s real.
There’s no clear industry standard to food safety culture. No checklist. And no one-size-fits-all approach. That leaves FSQA managers stuck trying to lead culture change with limited support, unclear expectations, and pressure from audits or customer reviews to “show evidence” of something that doesn’t come with a playbook.
And with SQF Edition 10 on the horizon, many expect food safety culture to take an even more visible role in certification audits, adding new urgency to a challenge that’s already hard to define.
In this FSMA Friday, TAG’s Senior Manager of Food Safety, Angela Ferelli Gruber, will cover:

What a strong food safety culture really looks like
How to assess where your facility stands
What successful companies do to make culture stick
A practical model for building culture even without top-down support

We’ll also cover how tech fits in and the value of using real-time tools for tracking, trending, and alerts to help make food safety part of daily operations, not just QA’s job.
You’ll learn:

Why FSQA leaders can’t—and shouldn’t—own food safety culture alone
What a maturing vs. stagnant culture looks like
How to start assessing culture across your facility
What evidence might look like, even without clear guidance
How to use KPIs and digital tools to drive visibility and ownership

Register here

Virtual HACCP Training
2025-09-09 - 2025-09-10 | IL
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 September 9-10, 2025, delivered by Directors of Food Safety, Sam Davidson and Kate McInnes. 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
Register here

The FSQA Heartbeat: Building Plant-Wide Systems That Stick
2025-09-26 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Join TAG’s Director of Food Safety, Kevin Steward, and SafetyChain as they share how to build systems that drive mutual accountability, align with company goals, and address the daily complexity of meeting compliance across four pillars: government, industry, customer, and internal requirements. With SQF Code Edition 10 placing greater emphasis on culture, now is the time to strengthen and unite FSQA across your organization.

Attendees will learn how to:

Extend FSQA responsibility across departments

Establish a regular accountability “heartbeat” tied to company goals

Leverage leadership as the glue that sustains strong systems

Balance compliance across government, industry, customer, and internal requirements

Register here

FSMA 204 Traceability Simulation: Be a Part of the Standard Setting in a Hands-On Workshop
2025-10-19 13:00 - 17:00 | IL
With the deadline for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Traceability Rule (204) extended, the industry has been given an expanded opportunity to work with FDA on developing standards for an industry-shaped interoperable traceability system.
In this pre-conference workshop, sponsored and led by the Partnerships for Food Traceability (PFT), participants will take part in small-group, hands-on exercises focused on tracing product from farm to fork, using the PFT-developed simulated data set. The session will explore challenges and solutions in sharing traceability information with trading partners. Takeaways include practical resources to apply standards for supply chain traceability, product flow mapping, identification of Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) and Key Data Elements (KDEs), master data roles and responsibilities, and more.​
Learn more here

Nudges, Habits, and Peer Power: Applying Behavioral Science to Food Safety
2025-10-31 12:00 - 13:00 | IL
Small changes in how we train, coach, and design workflows can create lasting food safety behaviors.
Why do employees sometimes skip steps they know are important? Behavioral science offers answers — and solutions. Many companies already apply these principles to employee safety, and the same approaches can strengthen food safety practices. Join Senior Director of Food Safety, Mary Hoffman, for FSMA Friday, where she will explore how nudges, habit formation, and peer influence can drive consistent food safety behaviors, with practical tools you can adapt immediately on the plant floor.
Register here

Virtual IA Vulnerability Assessment Training
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-06 | IL
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 5-6, 2025. TAG’s training, delivered by Director of Food Safety, Christopher Snabes, and Senior Manager of Food Safety, 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 4, 2025.
*$595 per person plus training materials and shipping fees. An additional $50 per person for the pre-requisite training.
Register here
