Out of the frying pan and into the fire? Uncovering the impact of FSMA’s sanitary food transportation rule on the food logistics industry

Abstract

Public policy affects businesses in several ways, yet its intersection with the food logistics industry is not well understood. This article explores the case of the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food Rule—enforced in 2018—and its impact on the food logistics industry. It is one of the most significant rules of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act and, in many ways, improves the rulebook for U.S. food haulage. The objective is to prevent food contamination during transportation by establishing vehicle design and maintenance requirements, safe transportation operations, transit temperature controls, carrier personnel training, and record-keeping. The Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food Rule also transforms the roles and responsibilities of traditional industry stakeholders (i.e., brokers, shippers, carriers, loaders, and receivers) and creates unique challenges for them. This article works to develop an understanding of stakeholders’ evolved roles via the salience model, identify challenges, and suggest relevant solutions, including a compliance checklist for each stakeholder.