SALT LAKE CITY and BATON ROUGE, LA. — To help its network of independent retailers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas with FSMA 204 compliance, Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge (AGBR) has joined the ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN).

FSMA 204 refers to section 204 of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act, which requires compliance by Jan. 20, 2026, according to the FDA.

According to AGBR, ReposiTrak has the world’s largest operating traceability network, enabling the exchange and maintenance of FDA-required data between suppliers, distributors and retailers.

“As an organization, it is our mission to provide our retailers with technologies that drive results and simply the overall responsibilities of running a retail grocery store,” said David Politz, senior vice president and chief information officer of AGBR. “Food traceability adds a new layer of complexity to day-to-day operations for many — if not all — of our members, and it was important to us to tackle this problem and find a solution that works for the retailer.”

A summary of FSMA 204 food traceability regulations, according to AGBR

  • Who: Manufacturers, processors and those who pack or hold foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL).
  • What: Establish and maintain Key Data Element (KDE) records for specific Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) in a product’s journey through the supply chain.
  • How: As a product changes hands or changes form, a compounding string of data must be transferred between trading partners to provide full, end-to-end traceability.

AGBR said its supply chain consists of hundreds of suppliers, a distribution center and more than 240 independent retail locations.

Benefits of the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, according to AGBR

  • RTN is the only solution that’s scalable for the total food supply chain, without the need for new hardware, software or even labeling systems.
  • RTN is built upon the largest, already-connected network of more than 110,000 individual supplier facilities, making the onboarding process faster and easier for retailers.
  • RTN has a team of experts prepared to have real conversations with food supply chain operators to understand each company’s unique challenges and determine the best approach.
  • RTN has no cost for retailers, and suppliers can connect to an unlimited number of customers and begin sharing data for a low, flat fee.

“The ease of use and extremely low cost are what drew us to the solution,” Politz said. “Through the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, there is a level of comfort in knowing that we’re capturing the data required by the FDA and that it’s being assembled and stored for us according to the FSMA 204 law. Additionally, we, and our suppliers and retailers, have direct access and visibility to that information. Lastly, the ReposiTrak solution enables us to shoulder as much of the burden as possible and, therefore, ease the obligation of our retailers.”

For more information about the ReposiTrak Traceability Network and how it can help with FSMA 204 compliance, email Derek Hannum at [email protected].