FSMA204HubField notes
Field notes on food traceability
What we're learning about FSMA 204, retailer audits, and what small food producers actually need to survive the July 20, 2028 traceability deadline.
- 7 min read
What the FDA's June 15 lot-level traceability meeting means for small producers
The FDA is asking whether its lot-level tracking rule is too hard for small producers. You can tell them, but if you want to speak you have to register by June 5. Here's what the meeting is, what it changes, and what it doesn't.
FSMA 204FDAlot-level traceabilitysmall food producerspublic commenttraceability lot code - 8 min read
TLC vs. KDE vs. CTE: the three FSMA 204 concepts producers keep mixing up
A plain-English untangle of the three terms at the center of FSMA 204. What each one is, where it lives in your operation, and a worked chevre example that shows all three in action.
FSMA 204traceabilityTLCKDECTEsmall food producers - 9 min read
ReposiTrak supplier onboarding: a 7-day playbook
A small producer's survival guide to ReposiTrak. What it checks, what to answer fast, the four traps that cost a week, and a day-by-day plan.
ReposiTraksupplier onboardingFSMA 204Erewhonretailer auditssmall food producers - 11 min read
How to pass a Whole Foods supplier audit
Whole Foods stacks four audits, not one. What each one checks, where small producers usually fail, and a 2-week prep plan to pass cleanly.
Whole Foodssupplier auditsFSMA 204GFSIsmall food producers - 9 min read
FSMA 204 vs HARPC: the difference for small producers
HARPC prevents contamination before it ships. FSMA 204 traces it after. Here's how to tell them apart and what records each one demands.
FSMA 204HARPCHACCPfood safety basicssmall food producers - 9 min read
What is a Lot Code on Food? (And the FSMA 204 Traceability Lot Code, Explained)
What a lot code on a product actually is, how lot coding works on food, and the difference between an everyday lot code and the FSMA 204 Traceability Lot Code (TLC).
FSMA 204lot codelot code traceabilitytraceability lot codesmall food producersfood safety basics - 8 min read
What your retailer's FSMA 204 questionnaire is asking for
A plain-English breakdown of the data retailers want under FSMA 204: what to send, what to skip, and the three fields that decide your shelf space.
FSMA 204retailer auditstraceabilitysmall food producers