FDA Globalization Act Very Important!

[justcrafty]

Debbie May at Wholesale Supplies Plus has paid for an information
gathering survey within our industry regarding how the FDA
Globalization Act will affect you if left in its current language. Debbie has authorized this link to be posted on any blogs, social media, websites, forums as people feel moved to post it. Please go to her link and fill out the survey so she has the information she needs when she goes to Washington.
Debbie May, the owner of Wholesale Supplies Plus, has hired a political lobbyist and committed $35,000 to assist the industry in assuring that we are all fairly treated in any bill that goes forward for a vote. This will affect us all and if it goes through in its present state. Many of us will be out of business. Judy

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=D ... M12g_3d_3d

here is a short cut in case that link breaks:
http://tinyurl.com/3p65z8

 

[Tabitha]

Debbie May, the owner of Wholesale Supplies Plus, has hired a political lobbyist and committed $35,000 to assist the industry in assuring that we are all fairly treated in any bill that goes forward for a vote.

Debbie hired a lobbyist because if it passes as is, she goes under :wink: . I am glad she has though.

Thank you, I am going to take the survey now.

 

[Tabitha]

I took the survey. It is just 10 simple questions. I highly suggest everyone take it.

 

[justcrafty]

Anyone who considers themselves a small business will go down! Who can afford 2000.00 a year every year just to register. How do you feel about sending them the ingredients in every product you make? If you change your product and put something different you have to notify the FDA as well as any new products you formulate. I appreciate anyone who is trying to help us. We all are in business is to make money no matter how how big or small we are. For some this is their only income. For many retired people this is a supplement to their income and they would have a hard time trying to make it without it. This is for anyone who wishes to sell their product. I think there are other ways to go about what they want. The fees they are wanting every year, is to pay for the extra help they will need to handle all this paperwork. If the government wants me to send ingredients in I will do it. I don't feel like we should have to pay the salaries for people to process the paperwork they will receive. Judy

 

[Tabitha]

2000 dollars is rediculous. I would not mind a modest registration fee, mayeb $25.00 dollars, kind of like a pet registration, just so the government knows who is out there.

I do not mind submitting ingredient info. I think that is a good thing. I have seen some very harmfull items on the market by home crafters. I know they are harmfull because I have been doing research for 8 years, but your average joe has not.I would welcome a little government intervention/protection on that end.

I do not think (IMHO) most of us who have actually made a biz out of our hobby change our recipes that often. When we find a good one we stick to it & our customer bases come to expect it. You can't make any money if you can not offer a consistant product to your customers nor can you build up a loyal following. Ingredient reporting would only take a few minutes a couple times a year.

 

[Deda]

Yep, I answered.

I do agree with parts of the ACT.
Regiseting with FDA - No big issue there.
Good Manufacturing Practice - Very good idea, I already do that.
Submitting ingredients - ok, but a waste of time, I mean is someone actually going to READ the millions of 'recipes' submitted?
Paying $2000.00 - NOT OK - most def a deal breaker.

 

[chrisinflorida]

I filled out the survey. I'm not even selling now (want to in the future), but this legislation could kill that plan. Does anybody know much about the Good Manufacturing Practices part of it? Would we have to have commercial kitchens to make and sell cosmetics and soap? I remember reading something about how the FDA wanted to be able to do on the spot inspections of facilities and/or inventory.

This is what scares me the most. Even if I could scrape up $2000 to register I can't scrape together a commercial kitchen. I live in an apartment and cannot afford to rent a proper facility somewhere. I don't see too many people talking about this aspect of it though.

Chris

 

[justcrafty]

Here is another link. Please read and be aware of what is going on.

http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/fdagl ... efault.asp

 

[Deda]

I filled out the survey. I'm not even selling now (want to in the future), but this legislation could kill that plan. Does anybody know much about the Good Manufacturing Practices part of it? Would we have to have commercial kitchens to make and sell cosmetics and soap? I remember reading something about how the FDA wanted to be able to do on the spot inspections of facilities and/or inventory.

This is what scares me the most. Even if I could scrape up $2000 to register I can't scrape together a commercial kitchen. I live in an apartment and cannot afford to rent a proper facility somewhere. I don't see too many people talking about this aspect of it though.

Chris

GMP for the most part means a clear paper trail. What you used, where you got what you used, how you used it, and the results. Someone from off the street who had no idea what you were doing should be able to read your notes and be able to duplicate your process. Keep careful notes, EVERY SINGLE TIME. You don't have to have a commercial kitchen, but you do need a dedicated space to work that is clean, with running water, proper ventilation, along with specific requirements about how you store your supplies and your end products.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-gmp.html

Most of it is just common sense.

 

[chrisinflorida]

Thanks for the info Deda. That eases my fears a lot.

Chris

 

[beadella]

I took the survey and would recommend it to all who either have a biz or just do soapies as a hobby!! I am very thankful that Debbie has made the commitment to fight this even though I know her motives are not entirely altruistic!!

I really do encourage everyone on the forum to take a few minutes and fill out this short survey, the more of us that do, the more she will have to show to the gov types she is meeting with!

Thanx oodles to all who participate,

Della