Join us for this 3-part webinar series, exclusively for IFSA members. FSMA 204: Achieving Compliance with Confidence, sponsored by IFSA and presented by Andy Kennedy of New Era Partners and iFoodDS will specifically focus on food traceability in the airline and rail food service industry. This series is designed for legal, IT, risk management, procurement, and food safety decision-makers in the airline and rail foodservice industry including, but not limited, to airlines, rail operators, suppliers, brokers, and caterers.  

The series will focus on the Learn, Plan, Do, Review model of achieving FSMA 204 compliance. The model, detailed below, was created by Andy Kennedy of New Era Partners and is a phased approach to getting your organization ready for the January 20, 2026 compliance enforcement date. 

If you are interested in becoming a member to access this webinar series and other member benefits, please email info@ifsa.aero.

Part 1 of our series on Achieving FSMA 204 Compliance with Confidence will focus on learning about the rule.  

• Learn who is covered by the rule 
• Learn what a Critical Tracking Event (CTE) and Key Data Element (KDE) are and how they apply to your role in the supply chain 
• Learn what foods are on the Food Traceability List (FTL) and covered by the rule 
• Learn about requirements and best practices for capturing, storing, and sharing shipping and receiving KDEs with your supply chain partners 
• Learn where you might have gaps in your existing processes 
• Learn how having the right system(s) in place can help your organization more easily achieve compliance 

Part 2 of our series on Achieving FSMA 204 Compliance with Confidence will focus on planning your path to compliance with the rule. 

• Develop a plan that addresses the gaps in your systems and processes and ensures your ability to capture, store, and share required KDEs 
• Research various methods and technologies for capturing, storing, and sharing your KDEs 
• Confirm your systems’ ability to generate an Electronic Sortable Spreadsheet 
• Evaluate results, make a recommendation, create an implementation timeline, and develop a budget and project plan internally and with your supplier network. 

Part 3 of our series on Achieving FSMA 204 Compliance with Confidence will focus on doing and reviewing the plan you’ve put in place. 

• Execute on your plan: 
  • Can your systems securely capture, store, and share required KDEs? Are your trading partners sending you their shipping KDEs and can your systems ingest them? 
  • Can you confidently generate an Electronic Sortable Spreadsheet?
• Implement your new solution and confirm it meets your requirements. 
• Start capturing, managing, and sharing KDEs with your trading partners.
• Write your traceability plan and confirm it meets FDA’s requirements. 
• Generate Electronic Sortable Spreadsheets and confirm you can do so within 24 hours. 
• Review your traceability program to ensure it meets compliance requirements and make a plan to evaluate it regularly.  

 Recordings of the webinars, templates, and other key information will be shared with members after each webinar.  

The International Flight Services Association’s (IFSA) Government Affairs and Education Committee (GAEC) continues to work to identify meaningful education opportunities for not only GAEC members, but also IFSA’s entire membership. The GAEC is proud to have identified this opportunity and to provide it to the entire membership. At the end of 2023, the GAEC created six unique work groups within the committee, of which two are the Food Traceability Rule Work Group and Training Work Group. A special thanks to our members who have actively participated and provided valuable work so that we are able to identify and offer IFSA members with education and training on important topics.

Andy worked with the FDA on the New Era of Smarter Food Safety and helped write the rule (FSMA 204) while he served on the FDA Food Traceability Rule working group.  Now Andy helps food companies across the supply chain navigate FSMA Rule 204 and manage data across vast supplier networks. 

New Era Partners is a consulting firm focused on guiding enterprise organizations through their FSMA 204 compliance journey. Founder Andy Kennedy and Team help you to cut through the complexity of FDA’s Food Traceability Rule and understand the operational impact so you can focus on compliance. 

Carrie has over 25 years of experience working with Enterprise Accounts selling a variety of software solutions to help solve business challenges for her customers.  After previously working with Andy Kennedy, Carrie is back in the food industry, helping to create a safer food supply chain with iFoodDS.  

iFoodDS is a FSMA 204 traceability solution provider, partnering with organizations across the fresh food supply chain to help them meet regulatory requirements and gain visibility and insight into their operations through connected traceability, quality, and food safety solutions.