Over the past several years, concern over bioterrorism and food borne illnesses has caused the passage of several bills to update and improve the role that the Food and Drug Administration has in keeping us safe. Legislation began shortly after 9/11 and most recently the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Part of the FSMA required all handlers of materials that would be entering the food stream for either humans or animals to register as a food facility. Following initial registration, each food facility must then renew that registration every two years between October and December of even numbered years. We are about to hit that renewal period and according to guidance on the Food Facilities page, all gins should already be registered.

Registration can be done either online or by paper. Online registration and renewal is the preferred method since the paper registration can delay the process and make it more difficult to get renewed. All information on registration and renewal can be found HERE.

After October first, you can log into your registration page and you will see a link to “renew” you registration. Failure to renew can result in the registration being revoked. During the renewal period, you will not be given the option to update the information in your registration. If you need to update information, you have two options. The first is to update prior to October 1 and then go through the renewal link after the first OR you can renew and once that renewal has bee accepted, you should be able to update any incorrect information.

All gins that send cottonseed to either the oil mill or dairies should have registered following passage of the anti-bioterroism act in 2003. The FSMA modified that registration process and required the biennial renewal.