Michael J. Totten: Christopher Hitchens and the Battle of Beirut

Michael J. Totten: Christopher Hitchens and the Battle of Beirut

21 st Century Communications

The President may have a Blackberry but I got this e-mail from LA's FDA offices...

"Due to heightened computer and Internet security practices currently in place, unsolicited electronic mail correspondence is no longer being accepted. Future unsolicited electronic mail transmissions, as well as e-mail transmissions containing attached files, will be immediately deleted. Requests for Compliance status information can be directed to (310) 971-2399. Other correspondence shall be forwarded via hard copy to our office for processing and review. Correspondence may also be faxed..." to one of the following product-specific numbers listed below:

BTW

And BTW, FDA at each port is quite different. In the East, through direct dialog, Product that should be released, has been released... in a timely manner...

Solid!

Time Management at FDA and the PEANUT Scare

How many Bernie Madoffs are there out there? You can be sure that there is more than one.

Same with Stewart Parnell of the Peanut Corporation of America who allowed, it is alleged, product into sales he knew had tested positive for Salmonella. Do we really think that he is the only one in the global food processing system that is capable of doing that? PEANUTS

The FDA has less people today to inspect more facilities than ever. It seems they rely on systems to cast a net as wide as possible in hope of stopping problems?

Why Are Importers & FDA in an Adversarial Relationship?

Why can't entry's be on line to stream line dialog between the compliance or investigative officer and the importer and broker? Had this been possible, 2 Investigators would not have had to witness the destruction of perfectly good tuna from Spain (all for 4 cases!) instead of inspecting food producing facilities. The goods were rejected for a clear misunderstanding that an importer should have been able to resolve had there been a direct dialog.

Invisible entries. Archaic programs. Antagonistic relations.

The result... The food chain remains at risk.

FDA and the Grasping of Straws?

Good Importing Practices is the Draft of the effort of FDA to tell us to do the right thing... And gives some suggestions.

Rightfully so, FDA states that compliance is a "shared responsibility between the public and private" groups. I have long advocated many of the suggestions [particularly knowing from whom you are buying products] but find this all a bit humorous given the current FDA FILE problems I have had with the Agency in the Port of LA.

I have been told "not to contact FDA directly" as the Inspectors "do not want to talk to the Importer!" I have been ignored when trying to contact with information. There is no dialog with any one there and in fact, if you should actually get an FDA employee on the phone, they will only talk to you about ONE ENTRY at a time. Call back if you have more then one!

It seems to me that Good Practices start with good communication. IF the import community could go on line and, by entry number, have a dialog or see a status of shipments, we would be further along the way to Good Practices...

Right now there is only animosity in the west as sales fall and port traffic is down and FDA can't tell low acid foods from others!