Stop Waiting: Why Traceability Can’t Be Put on Ice

If you caught Frank Yiannis and Jack Payne’s recent webinar on the “Changing Landscape of Food Safety,” you already know the punchline: don’t wait to build your traceability muscles.

But let’s be honest — most companies are waiting. Some are hesitating. And a few are still wondering what FSMA even stands for.(Yikes.)

So, from the trenches of FSMA 204 projects this year, here are three short, true stories that prove why waiting is the worst strategy you could have right now.

“We do that? Why do we do that?”

Leadership walking the line

Picture this: we’re in the receiving area of a major U.S. cheese producer. Forklifts humming, pallets moving — and one poor worker breaking down and rebuilding the same pallet like a LEGO masterclass.

The VP of Quality looks over and blurts out, “That seems like an enormous waste of time!”

Exactly.

Every time I take executives on a site walk, I watch light bulbs go off. They see the hidden inefficiencies — the “we’ve always done it this way” routines — that quietly drain time, accuracy, and profits.

Traceability isn’t just about compliance; it’s a diagnostic mirror. It shows you where your systems, processes, and people are out of sync— and gives you the chance to fix them.

“That’s some sexy tech — but it’ll never work!”

The human-technology gap

During another project, I showed a foodservice provider a slick traceability software demo. Barcode scanners, dashboards, AI — the works.

Their site lead nodded thoughtfully and said, “It’ll do the job… but it won’t work for us.”

Why? Because their frontline staff are non-technical, turnover is high, and English isn’t the first (or even second) language for many.

This isn’t a tech failure. It’s a fit failure.

Too often, companies try to shoehorn “smart” solutions into environments that need simple and human-centered ones. The fix? Bring in neutral experts who understand both the food business and the tech landscape —and can help you pick the right tool for your people, not just your process.

“This is a big ship — if we stop, we might never start again.”

Leaders who keep moving

When the FDA announced the 30-month FSMA 204 extension, one client didn’t celebrate. He looked genuinely worried.

“This is a big ship,” he said. “If we stop now, I don’t know if I can get it going again in time.”

He’s right. Momentum is everything. Pausing now doesn’t just delay compliance — it sends a signal down your supply chain that it’s fine to hit snooze. Meanwhile, your suppliers won’t prep, your data won’t flow, and your business won’t move food efficiently from farm to fork.

Bottom line: Traceability is transformation.

It’s not about chasing FDA deadlines — it’s about building smarter, faster, more resilient food systems that can handle whatever’s next.

So don’t wait for the perfect tech, the perfect moment, or the next FDA memo. Get moving.

If your team needs a clear, practical roadmap — one that bridges people, process, and tech — that’s exactly what we help companies do.

Let’s make traceability your competitive advantage, not your compliance headache.

Reach out. Let’s Get You Ready for FSMA 204.

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