What Is FSVP? A Guide to the Foreign Supplier Verification Program

What Is FSVP?

FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Program) is the FDA’s import rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The party importing food into the US must develop, maintain and follow an FSVP for each food it imports. The FSVP must provide adequate assurance that the foreign supplier produces the food in a way that offers the same level of public health protection as the US preventive controls and food safety rules (21 CFR 1.502).

Who Is Responsible?

The FSVP obligation rests with the US importer, not the exporter. Under the rule, the importer is the US owner or consignee of the food at the time of entry. If there is no US owner or consignee at entry, the importer is the US agent or representative of the foreign owner (21 CFR 1.500). In that case, the foreign company must designate a US representative as the importer before importing (21 CFR 1.509).

The importer’s name, email address and unique facility identifier are reported for each line entry of food at every customs entry (21 CFR 1.509).

How Does FSVP Affect You as an Exporter?

Although the obligation lies with the importer, the subject of the FSVP is your production. To evaluate you as a supplier, your importer may request documentation on your manufacturing processes and your food safety system. If you have no buyer in the US, you also decide which representative will be designated as the importer.

FSVP is linked to the FDA’s preventive controls rule for human food (21 CFR Part 117). If your facility operates a written food safety plan under this rule, your importer’s verification work becomes easier.

How We Help

• We help prepare the FSVP file for your product and your supply chain.
• We compile the documents your importer requests.
• If you have no buyer in the US, we help you set up the importer representative structure.

See our FSVP service page for details.

Official Sources

• 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart L (FSVP)
• 21 CFR Part 117 (preventive controls)