Arizona Tribune - Food Safety Summit Announces Addition of FSPCA Food Traceability Rule Participant Course to 2026 Program

ROSEMONT, IL / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2026 / The Food Safety Summit is pleased to announce the addition of a late-breaking training opportunity to its 2026 program: the 1.5-day FSPCA Food Traceability Rule Participant Course, beginning on Monday, May 11. The full Food Safety Summit will take place May 11-14, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, bringing together food safety professionals from across the supply chain for education, networking, and solutions-driven discussions.

Finalized in 2022, compliance with the FDA Food Traceability Rule is required by July 2028. Despite the approaching deadline, awareness and understanding of the rule's requirements remain inconsistent across the industry. To support implementation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with industry experts, developed a standardized curriculum through the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA). This comprehensive 1.5-day course will be led by two recognized industry leaders: Asma Madad, CORE+EP Response Team 2, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Jennifer McEntire, Founder, Food Safety Strategy.

Designed for both domestic and international entities subject to the rule, the course provides participants with practical, actionable guidance to help organizations prepare for compliance. Participants will learn how to recognize the importance of, and need for, the Food Traceability Rule; Identify key requirements under the regulation; Understand the steps necessary to achieve compliance, and how to develop and implement a traceability plan.

"Traceability is a critical component of modern food safety systems, and this course provides timely, essential education as the industry works toward compliance," said Gillian Kelleher, Chair of the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board. "We're delighted to welcome Asma Madad and Jennifer McEntire to teach this important training as part of the Summit's expanded program. The Participant Course is intended for those seeking to understand and implement the rule."

Participants who successfully complete the course - including full attendance and participation - will receive an official certificate of completion from FSPCA. Course Registration is $775 and includes access to the Food Safety Summit's Tuesday morning workshop on Leveraging AI for Food Safety: From Strategy to Impact as well as the Tuesday evening Welcome Reception on the show floor. Attendees also have the option to receive a 30% discount when adding a 1- or 2-day Food Safety Summit conference package. For registration information, click here.

In addition to the FSPCA course, four more Certificate Courses will be offered on Monday, May 11, including AI in Food Safety: Ethical and Efficient Food Safety Document Writing; Food Fraud Prevention Workshop and Certificate Course; FSPCA's Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0; and Application of the Principles of Hazard Analysis - Beyond the Basics.

The Food Safety Summit Education Program delivers a comprehensive, multi-day learning experience designed to address the industry's most pressing challenges. The program opens Tuesday, May 12, with a three-hour interactive workshop, Leveraging AI for Food Safety: From Strategy to Impact, followed by afternoon sessions on allergen management, risk communication, workforce resilience, and pathogen control. On Wednesday, the keynote presentation, Food Safety is a Team Sport, will be delivered by Joan Menke-Schaenzer of Van Drunen Farms and moderated by Jesse Newman of The Wall Street Journal, emphasizing collaboration and leadership across the food system.

Thursday's program features the 15th Annual Town Hall, offering direct dialogue with regulatory leaders from FDA, USDA, CDC, and AFDO, followed by the closing session, FSMA at 15, a forward-looking discussion on the progress and future of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Complementing these featured sessions, the Summit offers 21 concurrent sessions across Wednesday and Thursday, organized into focused topic tracks-including AI, risk and compliance, leadership and workforce, hazard management, and sector-specific content-enabling attendees to tailor their experience and gain actionable insights.

Registration for the 2026 Food Safety Summit is open at https://www.food-safety.com/food-safety-summit. One-, two-, and three-day conference packages and group discounts are available. A conference pass includes access to half-day workshops, education sessions, Keynote and Town Hall presentations, networking receptions, the Exhibit Hall, Solutions Stage and Tech Tent programming, lunch in the Exhibit Hall, and NEHA continuing education credits.

The Food Safety Summit is owned and produced by Food Safety Magazine (www.food-safety.com) and BNP Media (www.bnpmedia.com), one of the country's leading business-to-business media companies serving industry professionals across 60+ industries through magazines, custom media, e-newsletters, webinars, events, and market research.

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For further information, contact:
Amy Riemer
Media Relations Representative
978-502-4895 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE: Food Safety Summit

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