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December 2025 Newsletter
2025: A Year in Review
| | | FSPCA Annual Conference Recap | | | |
The 2025 FSPCA Annual Conference was held in-person on November 18-19 in Rockville, Maryland and, for the first time ever, included an option to attend virtually! This was a great success with more than 150 people in attendance across both platforms. Attendees were able to hear from 37 fantastic food safety experts across academia, industry and government agencies highlighting the latest in food safety regulations and guidance, technology advancements, and FSMA implementation, training and outreach. Conference presentations are now available on the FSPCA website.
| | | FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) Version 2.0 | | | FSPCA successfully completed and launched the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) Version 2.0 standardized curriculum, with over 1,000 Version 1.2 lead Instructors trained through the Lead Instructor Refresher Training (LIRT). FSPCA published the Spanish translation and launched the Blended course option for Version 2.0. In addition, four PCHF Version 2.0 Lead Instructor courses have been conducted in 2025, with 59 new Lead Instructors trained. Also, a variety of updated food safety plan teaching examples have been provided to be used by Lead Instructors during their courses to allow participants to practice developing a Food Safety Plan for a model food. | | | Preventive Controls for Animal Food Curriculum | | | Significant progress was made this year on the Animal Food Curriculum updates. The Work Group’s efforts advanced smoothly, with focused attention on improving chapter flow, removing redundant regulatory text, and strengthening data and illustrations. With key milestones achieved - including completed editorial submissions and ongoing chapter revisions - the Animal Food Work Group has built a strong momentum heading into 2026, when FDA review and implementation planning will take center stage. | | | Food Traceability Rule – Training for the Food Industry Curriculum | | | |
The FSPCA Food Traceability Rule (FTR) curriculum is currently being refined following valuable suggestions from the November pilot FTR Lead Instructor (LI) courses and feedback from our dedicated Trainer of Trainers (ToTs). On November 20–21, 2025, forty-five participants from food and allied industries attended the inaugural FSPCA Food Traceability Rule Pilot Lead Instructor Course in Rockville, MD, held in conjunction with the FSPCA Annual Conference. The pilot provided an excellent forum for industry instructors to engage with the new curriculum while offering practical insights from the target audience. FSPCA extends its sincere appreciation to the Food Traceability Rule Editorial Team and the committed cadre of ToTs for their leadership and support in this important effort.
| | | Technical Assistance Network | | | |
FSPCA offers several technical assistance resources to support our stakeholders. For questions about FSMA rules, programs, or FDA regulatory implementation strategies, stakeholders should submit inquiries to FDA’s FSMA Technical Assistance Network (TAN). Scientific or technical food safety questions can be directed to experts listed in the University Extension Specialist Directory. For questions related to FSPCA training, curricula, Lead Instructor applications, or administrative support - including those specific to the Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0 curriculum - please use the online inquiry form available on our website. We work to provide timely, thoughtful responses to every inquiry. Because some questions are more complex than others, response times may vary. After submitting your question, you’ll receive a confirmation message and a case number to help track your request.
| | | USDA NIFA FSOP Grant for LIRT Training | | | FSPCA, in collaboration with the University of Florida and the International Food Protection Training Institute, received a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Food Safety Outreach Program to support Lead Instructors of FSMA Regional Centers and university extension networks for PCHF Version 2.0 LIRT training. | | | Staying connected with FSPCA ensures you never miss important updates, resources, and opportunities to engage with our global food safety community. Follow FSPCA on LinkedIn and join the conversation by liking, sharing, and commenting on our posts to help extend our reach. Participate in our WhatsApp information exchange for timely updates and peer-to-peer insights, and for Lead Instructors, take advantage of the Chatter Groups to connect, collaborate, and share best practices. We also encourage all members of our community to sign up for this newsletter and receive all FSPCA-related communications by joining the FSPCA Listserv. | | | FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Version 2.0 Lead Instructor Refresher Training | | | Due to demand, FSPCA is excited to be relaunching the Version 2.0 Human Food Lead Instructor Refresher Training schedule for FSPCA Version 1.2 Human Food Lead Instructors for a limited time. FSPCA expects virtual deliveries of the Lead Instructor Refresher Training to begin in January 2026. Check the FSPCA website for details and announcements. | | | 2026 FSPCA Training Schedule | | | FSPCA is excited to welcome a new cohort of Lead Instructors in 2026. With more than 3,000 FSPCA-trained Lead Instructors delivering courses around the world, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the global food safety community. Explore the 2026 FSPCA Lead Instructor training schedule and apply for your opportunity to join the FSPCA Lead Instructor team. | | | In 2026, we are excited to introduce a streamlined Animal Food Lead Instructor application process designed to enhance efficiency and improve your user experience. Additionally, we will continue with our LI Webinar Series to offer timely resources, share best practices, and provide ongoing insights to our Lead Instructor team. We look forward to continuing to support and engage with our Lead Instructors in the year ahead. | | | If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up here to receive our next quarterly newsletter. Don’t miss out on Alliance curriculum and training information, FSMA preventive controls updates, annual conference plans, and more! | | | Published by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance | | | | |
