August 2025:

The Starfish Current

A Note From Our CEO

Welcome to the Starfish monthly newsletter—where ideas take shape, partnerships come to life, and the future of our food system gets a little brighter.

Whether you’re a customer, partner, or simply passionate about where our food comes from, thank you for being part of this journey. We’re so glad you’re here.

— Wiggs Civitillo, Founder & CEO

Announcing: The Starfish Ecosystem

We’re excited to introduce the official webpage showcasing Starfish’s growing ecosystem of partners—leaders who share our vision for open, secure data exchange across the food and beverage industry. Each of these companies brings unique expertise, from traceability to cold-chain to analytics, and together they’re helping make it easier to connect systems, uncover insights, and deliver safer food. If you’d like to meet any of them, we’d be glad to make the introduction.

The latest from our Blog

Traceability Just Got 30 More Months. The Question Is: Will the Data Be Ready?

The FDA’s new #FSMA204 proposal isn’t just about an extension—it highlights the real challenge ahead: fixing data quality and interoperability across the food supply chain.

PTI Enhances Traceability

With new leadership and a cross-border FSMA 204 & SFCR comparison guide, PTI is stepping up to make traceability clearer, stronger, and more collaborative than ever.

Agridence Acquires Farmer Connect

Congratulations to our partners at Farmer Connect on their acquisition by Agridence. The merger combines upstream sourcing strength in Asia with downstream compliance expertise in Europe, creating a unified platform to support global traceability and regulations like EUDR.

The FDA’s Traceability Dialogue Continues

In August, the Reagan-Udall Foundation released a report on food traceability under FSMA 204, reflecting extensive dialogue with industry stakeholders on both opportunities and challenges in implementation. Among its key recommendations was the creation of a Public-Private Partnership—an initiative now being carried forward by PFT.

Now Playing

Where we’ll be next

North America Food Safety & Quality, Austin, TX
September 14–16, 2025

International Fresh Produce & Floral Show, Anaheim, CA
September 16–18, 2025

Food Safety Consortium, Arlington, Virginia
October 19–21, 2025

Coming in September: National Food Safety Education Month

This September, we’re celebrating the people and partnerships driving safer food. Each week we’ll spotlight our partners’ innovations—from education to technology to traceability—that are raising the bar on food safety. Follow along for inspiring stories and practical tips to help everyone make smarter, safer food choices.