Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Exempt Countries

I read through this article earlier, 'The FSVP is the Next FSMA Compliance Date', and they state that:

• Foods imported from a country with a food safety system that is officially recognized by the FDA as equivalent (currently this is only Canada, NZ and Australia, although it is understood that Mexico is well progressed.)

After reading through Sec 301 of FSMA I see no mention of this exemption. The only exemptions I see are for small quantities for research purposes and for seafood, juice, and low acid canned facilities using implementing HACCP.

Can anybody verify the above statement that foods imported from these countries are exempt and if so, can you point in the direction of where this information is found?

Thanks!

Have you seen these

https://www.fda.gov/...A/ucm361902.htm

https://www.fda.gov/...g/ucm597095.htm

https://www.fda.gov/...s/ucm498611.htm   This article says at the bottom " Systems recognition is voluntary and not required in order for a country to export foods to the U.S"

FSVP does not apply to the following foods:

• Fish and fishery products (in compliance seafood HACCP in 21 CRF 123)
• Juice (in compliance with juice HACCP in 21 CFR 120)
• Food for research or evaluation
• Alcoholic beverages
• Meat, poultry, and egg products regulated by USDA
• Food imported for personal consumption,
• Food that is transshipped through the United States
• Food that is imported for processing and later export
• U.S. food that is exported and returned without further manufacturing or processing in a foreign country (U.S. foods returned)

It would appear on first glace that USDA governed products are exempt

And this is the page I would refer to for further updates/countries added

https://www.fda.gov/...ems_recognition

Cool, that last link was the one I wanted.

Thanks for the help!