FSMA 204 Moved to 2028. Your Retail Customers’ Deadlines Did Not
Two dates matter to food manufacturers shipping into mass retail right now. The FDA’s Food Traceability Rule, Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act, now takes effect July 20, 2028. Nothing about the substance of the rule changed. The Food Traceability List, the Critical Tracking Events, the Key Data Elements, and the 24-hour records requirement remain unchanged.
The other date did not move, because it was never the FDA’s date to move. Major retailers have established their own traceability deadlines, with some requiring data on all food items rather than only those on the Food Traceability List. Manufacturers must meet these customer requirements while preparing for federal enforcement.
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