The Cold Chain Policy Forum, hosted by the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), held virtually this year, has broken attendance records. Nearly 200 registrants–double the number of 2019 registrants–heard from U.S. regulatory agencies including USDA, OSHA, FDA, and EPA, as well as the noted law firms of Jackson Lewis and Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary. The event provided the opportunity for participants to hear the latest developments on key regulatory programs, as well as continue building positive industry relations with agency partners impacting the U.S. cold chain.
A major theme of the event was the importance of industry engagement in working with agencies on evolving policies. GCCA efforts have resulted in several improvements on the regulatory front. For example, participants heard from the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) that the agency is planning to integrate numerous improvements into its Public Health Information System (PHIS) in August that will address issues raised by GCCA and its industry partners, discussed throughout the event.
Another one of those areas discussed was related to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Risk Management Program (RMP). GCCA has also been extremely active in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Risk Management Program rulemaking process over the last several years that culminated in December 2019 with the issuance of a Final Rule that reduces the regulatory burden on facilities while maintaining safety. Current World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) Chairman Brian Beazer participated in the initial EPA small business review panel process; and we have seen the EPA incorporate the industry raised concerns into the Final Rule, including rescinding third-party audit provisions, root cause analysis, and safety technology analysis.
This year’s presenters were:
- Policies and Procedures for Meat and Poultry Export - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
- Food Safety Modernization Act: Enforcement and Implementation Update - Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- RMP Reconsideration Rule and National Enforcement Initiative Update - Office of Emergency Management, U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Environment Protection Agency
- OSHA Enforcement Trends and Policy - Office of Chemical Process Safety and Enforcement Initiatives, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Labor and Employment Policy in the Pandemic - Jackson Lewis
- Emerging Issues in Transportation Policy and Law - Scopelitis
“I am excited by the record-breaking turnout for the 2020 Cold Chain Policy Forum. This tremendous level of engagement is critical to our continued success in building relationships with agency partners and achieving positive change for policies impacting our industry,” said Lowell Randel, Senior Vice President of Government and Legal Affairs.
President & CEO Matthew Ott, CAE, CMP adds, “Advocacy initiatives are one of the four pillars of our strategic plan. With our advocacy efforts, we strive to proactively influence rules and regulations, lead the dialogue on issues impacting the cold chain, and mitigate the impact of regulations on industry while achieving public policy objectives. Today’s Forum shows the positive result of these efforts.”
GCCA thanks its event sponsors Jamison, Refrigiwear, Tippmann Innovation, and Vapor Armor; without their support this event would not have been possible.