Time for Food Facility Biennial Registration Renewal for Processors

Food facilities required to register with FDA must renew their food facility registrations this year during the period beginning on October 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2020.  The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), enacted on January 4, 2011, amended the food facility registration requirements of section 415 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).  The registration requirements apply to domestic and foreign food facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food for human or animal consumption in the United States.  FSMA amended section 415 of the FD&C Act to provide that food facilities required to register with FDA must renew their registrations with FDA every other year, during the period beginning on October 1 and ending on December 31 of each even-numbered year. At this time, the updated renewal form has not been published and renewal is only available online through FDA’s website.

You are not required to register as a food facility with the FDA if you are a farm or huller who falls with the FDA’s definition of a farm. If you are a processor and fall within the definition of a farm, you do not have to register with FDA.

If you have any questions about whether your huller or processor is considered a farm by FDA’s definition and therefore do not need to register, please first reach out to our Director of Regulatory Affairs and Food Safety Priscilla Rodriguez at (559) 455-9272.