Import Fee Factor
(Stephanie Nall — The Journal of Commerce)
The FDA is starting to impose food inspection fees, but invoices won’t be mailed for months
Some in the perishables industry already are talking about lawsuits as the Food and Drug Administration rolls out new fees for inspections of some imported foods.
“In January, it’s going to hit the fan when companies start getting these invoices from the FDA,” said Benjamin England, who was an attorney at the FDA for 17 years. “The FDA is starting to impose these fees now, but it’s going to take a few months for the invoices to roll in and get moved up the chain to executives. Then the fun will really start.”
The FDA said in a Federal Register notice late last month it will start tracking, assessing and collecting reinspection fees related to domestic and foreign facilities and fees charged companies that refuse to issue recall orders. But the FDA doesn’t intend to send out any of the invoices before Jan. 1. That means there could be surprised, confused and angry companies, England said. Read more here (subscription required).
Date: October 12, 2011
