Course Summary

This two-day, instructor-led course serves as the standardized curriculum recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for meeting the training requirements under the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals rule. Participants gain the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement, and maintain a compliant FSVP program.

Through practical examples, interactive discussions, and real-world scenarios, this course equips food industry professionals to confidently fulfill the role of an FSVP-Qualified Individual.

Key Learning Objectives

  • Explain the underlying purpose of the FSVP rule and develop implementation strategies
  • Determine known or reasonably foreseeable hazards in imported foods
  • Evaluate supplier risk based on hazard analysis and performance
  • Conduct verification activities and maintain compliance documentation
  • Implement an FSVP record-keeping system

Who needs to take this course

  • U.S.-based importers who meet the FSVP rule definition
  • Foreign manufacturers and farms exporting food to the United States
  • Brokers, retailers, and third-party auditors involved in the import supply chain

Who Should attend

  • This course is perfect for professionals overseeing food import compliance, including U.S. importers, brokers, retailers, third-party auditors, transportation personnel and distributors, and Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQIs) assisting an FSVP Importer.

Pre-requisites

  • No formal prerequisites are required.
  • However, participants will benefit from prior knowledge of basic food safety principles, HACCP, or preventive controls concepts.

Program Outline

  • Overview of FSVP and its relationship to FSMA
  • Determining known or reasonably foreseeable hazards in imported foods
  • Hazard analysis for foreign suppliers
  • Supplier evaluation and approval
  • Verification activities and methods
  • Supplier re-evaluation processes
  • Importer identification requirements
  • FSVP record-keeping systems
  • FDA oversight and compliance

Instructor Credentials

This training course is delivered by a Lead Instructor for the FSPCA Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) course.

Instructor Credentials

What is included

  • Course Materials: FSPCA Participant Manual, Exercise Workbook, and access to the Private FSVP Resource Centre
  • Certificate of Training provided by FSPCA (Included in the cost of registration), upon successful completion of the course