SummryNorthCrolin Foo Sfet an DefenseTs orceTe NorthCarolin Foo Sfet an DefenseTas orci e mult-idscipinarycolbortionoffoo protectionspecilistsan expertsdeicte toadressin the vulnerabilitiesof the foo supplycai witi Nort CaroliaT hethreeminagencie reponible for foodprotecionndsurveillance ithinthesat-ehe N Departmentof Healthan HumanSeircves DivisionofPublic Helh CommunicbleDiseseBranch;the N Departmentof Ariculturean ConsumerServices ndthNeCDeparmen ofEnironmentandNaurl Reource(sCDER) DivisionofEnvoirmetalHelt,Evirometl HelthSrvics-arethefoundtionfortheTskForceandarecomplementedby represenative fromvariou tkeholdersgencie. TheTs orcebenefits fromthesnerycreate b themutulcoopertionofofficilsfromolcl tte,andfederlagencie,priateindutry,acdemi, ndlawenfrcement TheTskForce wscretedvi ExecuiveOrder5 in20 and renewed bysubequen order.TheTskForcea wholemees-bmointhl ndtheExecutiveCommittee meets urin theinterveningmonhs TheTskForcemeesa he DiiionofEnvironmentlHelth NCDENR Severalsubcommitee aretskedwih implemeningthe foodprotecion gol ndiniiaive oftheTas orceT heaccomplishmentsoftheTas orce redeailedintheProjec Narrtive.Thepurposeofthefunding requet i osuppor Tsk-Freoltrcedaciiie onanannulbsisforaperio offiveyea rAs deailedinthe Budge Jutificthioenf utndswillbeusedtosuprt rining ourech vene rntalf etrvs el ndperdiem upplie,publiction cot,regitraionfee,andspekerfTehee.fundingrequestwilul ppor websie tht illbeusedtopostinformtionperainingtotheTskForce sucha upcomingmeetingdte, eductionalmteril, an informtiononcurrentf-oreoldtedeents. Thefudigreuesticludessuppotfo regulai -monthl meetinsoftheTs orceandonet-dwyomeetin/Inter-SateConferenceto behel annull. Thet-awyomeetin willconsistofa joitneuction/trinin meetin onthefirstdy withtheTs orcean membersoftheNCFreshProuceSafet Ts orce a committeeoftheTskForcecretedtoaddresspecific isue wihfrehproduceandlefygreen. TheseconddywillncsiotofanIne-StrateConferencedesine tobuil reltionhip wih locl, tte andfederalprner ousideofNorhCrolin. TheConferenceilloffer eductionltopics an trinin bse upon -dperetermine foo protectiontheme
Proec arraive NrthCrliaFo aft &Dfns as Frce Thefoo suppl sstem withinNorthCarolin hsbenefitedfromthe effortsoftorhtehN Carolina Food Safety and Defense Ts orcesince its inception in 2003. Thesnerycrete b the coordinationofreultor, inustr,an acdemicfoo protectionprtnehrasve resulted in solutions to commonfoo protection isues, more efficient use of rsourcs, and more effective respnes topublichelthemergencie.sThis grant proposal will provide funding for the Task Force to expand upon its current success into the next five years by continuing its focus upon the food chain within North Carolina and by reaching out to other states. 1
