Washington, D.C. – The National Grocers Association (NGA), the leading national trade association representing independent supermarket retailers, released the following statement from Stephanie Johnson, NGA Group Vice President, Government Relations:
“The National Grocers Association (NGA) welcomes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to delay the Food Traceability Rule (21 CFR Part 1) by 30 months beyond its original January 2026 start date.
Disproportionately impacting smaller grocers, the traceability rule’s original timeline was nearly impossible to meet across the vast and dynamic food system. It quickly added exorbitant costs and operational complexity, threatening grocers’ ability to serve their communities effectively. The FDA’s decision to delay compliance provides much-needed relief for independent grocers, who would have been forced to pass these burdensome costs on to consumers.
NGA remains committed to working with the FDA and federal regulators to ensure our nation’s food safety policies are fair, effective, and practical for businesses of all sizes.”
About NGA
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
