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Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) Training

Importers are accountable to ensure their foreign suppliers are in compliance with the applicable Preventive Controls (PC) or Produce Safety rules. 

As an importer, do you know how to prepare an FSVP for each food you import and be ready for FDA's inspections?

The Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals regulation of the U.S. FDA applies to all food products grown or manufactured outside the U.S, and brought into the U.S. for consumption. 

FDA determines FSVP compliance through inspections of the U.S. Importer to ensure the Importer has an FSVP for each imported food and each supplier.  Each FSVP must demonstrate how the Importer evaluated, approved, and continues to verify that each foreign supplier is controlling the hazards for each food imported.

Understanding how to proceed can be quite complex because the FSVP regulation has both standard and modified requirements.  One example of complexity is that Dietary Supplements, although exempt from the Preventive Controls Rule are not exempt from the FSVP Rule, but there are many more complexities to be understood.

The live virtual interactive instructor-led Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) Course is offered as an alternative to the  site-based FSVP course: the virtual approach enables multiple half-day sessions as an alternative to the full day & one 4 hour session and is very accommodating for individuals who cannot afford the time to travel for the FSVP course and need time in the office daily. This is the perfect solution for busy managers and executives as well as office personnel! Also, additional team members can participate without disrupting the workplace or incurring travel expenses! The Simple Compliance Solutions course fee includes the $60 FSPCA official certificate.

Rachel Montgomery has provided the FSVP Course since early 2017.  Montgomery has years of experience and understanding of manufacturing and importing with companies over five continents, and has delivered the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human and Animal Food Training courses since their inception.    She pioneered in mid 2017 with offering the FSVP course live, virtually and interactively to enable Importers to receive training without the time, expense, and hassles of travel.  Participants rave about the meaningful examples Montgomery can share, and we have received excellent feedback about how the participants feel very engaged with the instructor and other participants.

Foreign Suppliers who are exporting to the U.S. need to know more about the FSVP Rule to be able to support their U.S. Customers who are importing. Thus, if you as a foreign supplier would like a very brief taste of the FSVP requirements for US Importers, or if you as an Importer would like your foreign suppliers to have more information, there is a 2-hour module available which I can present virtually as well: FSVP Requirements Module: Ensuring the Safety of Foods Imported into the United States for Human and Animal Consumption. You may contact the instructor if you would like to schedule a presentation of this 2 hour module for your foreign suppliers. Also, the virtual PCQI course is recommended for your foreign suppliers to ensure they have a PCQI to develop and implement their food safety plan.

Note#1:  In contrast to the Preventive Controls (PC) rules for human or animal food, the FSVP rule does not require an FSVP “qualified individual” to attend a training program following a “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA. Therefore, completing this course is not mandatory; attending the course, however, will help course participants understand the FSVP requirements and how those requirements can be met in their circumstances.

Note#2:  The courses provide a certificate.   FSPCA states the following related to advertising requirements for the courses:  
"FSPCA participant courses are NOT certification courses.  Do not use the terms certification or or Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) certification.  The certificates that are issued by the FSPCA for the participant course are certificates of successful completion.  FSPCA does not provide or manage certification."


Benefits

  • Attending this course will help you understand the FSVP requirements for dealing with hazards and controls, the verification activities, written procedures and records, and how all of those requirements can be met in your particular circumstance.
  • The course will also provide an effective way to implement a risk-based framework in which importers can evaluate potential products and suppliers and ensure that appropriate verification activities occur.
  • Receive the official FSPCA Certificate of Completion and the official FSPCA course book as PDF for the virtual course.

Who Should Attend/Participate

  • Importers of human and animal food in the United States
  • Brokers
  • Exporters
  • Foreign suppliers of food that will be exported to the U.S.
  • Persons/Business owners who currently buy food from foreign sources
  • Representatives of foreign governments
Testimonials - FSPCA FSVP Course

The 12-hour Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Training (10 Modules)

  • Welcome & Introductions
  • Chapter 1: Context: FSMA and FSVP
  • Chapter 2: Setting the Stage : Building the Foundation for the FSVP Process
  • Chapter 3: Overview of Requirements
  • Recap: Preventive Controls and Produce Safety Session
  • Chapter 4: Hazard Analysis
  • Chapter 5: Evaluation and Approval of Foreign Supplier
  • Chapter 6: Foreign Supplier Verification
  • Chapter 7: Reevaluation of Foreign Supplier
  • Chapter 8: Importer Identification
  • Chapter 9: Records
  • Chapter 10: FDA Oversight

FSPCA Virtual Online Course

Virtual instructor-led over two 8-hour sessions

The live interactive instructor-led virtual online course is identical to the site-based course with the exception of it being conducted over the ZOOM platform over more days with fewer hours each day. You will need webcam and audio (headset is ideal) to join the live but virtual conference training. The 12-hour course, normally 1.5 days on a site, is conducted in 3 live virtual sessions, 4 hours each, directed by an FSPCA lead instructor.


Once you register, you will receive additional information, including how to download the Zoom software. Participants must be ‘present’ virtually during the entire course, and actually, you will enjoy participating face-to-face and voice-to-voice virtually with the instructor and other participants over the full hours of the course, aside from the breaks that will be provided. Note: If you are not already internet savvy or have any concerns that your internet is not fast enough for full audio/visual communication over the Zoom platform, contact the instructor before the course for a ‘practice session’ just with you to try things out.


Also, you may contact the instructor to request a private course or even suggest dates and sites for public courses.






Virtual Online Course

Participants Ratings:

12 hours total

3 live virtual sessions
(4 hours each)

$600 USD

FSPCA Certificate Included

Upcoming Schedules:

2024
Sep 3-5
Oct 15-17
Nov 12-14
Dec 17-19

2025
Jan 21-23
Feb 18-20
Mar 18-20
Apr 15-17
May 13-15

Time:
11:00am - 3:45pm Eastern each day


  • 100% Virtual Online
  • No prerequisites required
  • Save on travel expenses & time

FSPCA Lead Instructor

Rachel Montgomery

Mrs. Montgomery is an FSPCA Lead Instructor (Human Foods Certificate # 32c592bd, Animal Foods Certificate # 1bd2c691, Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Certificate # f3830814) with over 30 years experience as a food safety executive in large-scale manufacturing. Montgomery is the Principal of Simple Compliance Solutions, LLC and a Registered Microbiologist (National Registry of Certified Microbiologists). She can deliver the FSVP or Preventive Controls courses at your in-house or preferred location. Montgomery also provides consulting (See details on the Consulting Services page).


Mrs. Montgomery has received the 2023 FSPCA 1000 Club certificate in recognition of training 1000 or more participants, cumulatively in the four FSPCA training curricula, with FSPCA certificates issued.

I value the instructor being interactive and I would recommend to anyone needing these certificates.

Alesia M. Knott, Cargill

Great course! Skeptical of webex course at first because it’s not my favorite route. However, Rachel did an excellent job. Warm welcoming environment, knowledgeable and personable. I like how the virtual break-out rooms were used. Had a great group to work with and good conversations. I also liked how it was spread over 4 days (Virtual Online Course – Preventive Controls for Animal Food). It can be a lot of information to take it, so felt this was good. This was the best webex training I’ve attended!

Lorie Hannappel

FSPCA 2 Day In-Person Classroom Course

In Person Classroom - FSCPA Training
This course is 2 day on site, includes $60 certificate, course manual/reference book, light lunch and snacks.


Upcoming dates for site based courses:  
No public courses are scheduled at this time. Please contact the instructor to express interest in a site-based public course or to request a private course. 

Being in the class room that overlooks the beautiful ocean and beaches of Kiawah Island is a huge bonus to the class. It sets a very beautiful and relaxing atmosphere to learn in

Randy Franklin, Great Eastern Sun

Course Location
The Sandcastle Conference Room - In Person FSPCA Training

Beautiful Kiawah Island (near Charleston), South Caroina, 249455, at The Sandcastle, an Oceanside Conference & Event Center, One Shipwatch Road.


Kiawah Island is a world renowned conference and vacation locale, for families and special events, and voted # 1 island in North America by Conde Nast Traveler. Kiawah is the home of the Ocean Course: “Proud Host of the 2021 PGA Championship” and host of the 1991 Ryder Cup, 2007 Senior PGA Championship and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships and 4 other beautiful public courses, among numerous other awards such as # 1 Family Resort and # 1 Tennis Resort.


Note: the conference room has windows overlooking the beach and a deck to gather during breaks or access the beach for a walk.

Accommodations

In Historic Charleston, SC
A vast assortment of hotels are nearby in Historic Charleston, voted America’s # 1 Small City, 5 years & counting:  www.charlestoncvb.com 

(Note: Charleston hotels closest to Kiawah that have been recommended by other course attendees are the Residence Inn Charleston, and the Holiday Inn Riverview, both with views of the Ashley River.)


On Kiawah
The Andell Inn(AndellInn.com, Tel: 843-793-6050), is a Boutique Village Resort Hotel, voted a Top 10 Hotel, 2015 by Southern Living Magazine and located in Freshfields Village, a unique town-center mix of shopping and dining, in a stylish atmosphere.


1,2 & 3 bedroom villas & also houses are available on Kiawah:

  • KiawahResort.com (Tel: 800-654-2924)
  • PamHarringtonExclusives.com (Tel: 800-845-6966), 5 night minimum



Refund Policy: 

Cancellations with refund up to 2 weeks prior. The $19.95 processing fee is not refunded.


In-Person Classroom

Participants Ratings:

2 Day

The Sandcastle

One Shipwatch Rd,

South Carolina, 29455

$895 USD

FSPCA Certificate,

lunch and snacks Included

Upcoming Schedules:
No public course are scheduled at this time



  • Beautiful setting
  • No pre-requisites required
  • In-person classroom

Private Options For Training

This course can also be delivered as private training in-house or at your preferred location for your company or organization. Please contact the Lead Instructor, Rachel Montgomery, to request a quote.

Facility and corporate executives:  bring your entire or key members of your food safety team to this public course (or as a private option) and take advantage of time to confer and to plan your compliance with this far-reaching rule.  Bringing in key leaders and cross-functional team members can be instrumental in building or strengthening your food safety culture. It is also an opportunity to bring family members and combine business with meaningful family time at a resort location.

Contact Us For Private Training

Phone: (843) 319-1377
[email protected]