Summry NorthCrolin Foo Sfet an DefenseTs orce Te NorthCarolin Foo Sfet an DefenseTas orci e mult-idscipinarycolbortionof foo protectionspecilistsan expertsdeicte toadressin the vulnerabilitiesof the foo supplycai witi Nort CaroliaT hethreeminagencie reponible for foodprotecion ndsurveillance ithinthesat-ehe N Departmentof Healthan HumanSeircves Division ofPublic Helh CommunicbleDiseseBranch;the N Departmentof Ariculturean ConsumerServices ndthNeCDeparmen ofEnironmentandNaurl Reource(sC DER) DivisionofEnvoirmetalHelt,Evirometl HelthSrvics-arethefoundtion fortheTskForceandarecomplementedby represenative fromvariou tkeholders gencie. TheTs orcebenefits fromthesnerycreate b themutulcoopertionof officilsfromolcl tte,andfederlagencie,priateindutry,acdemi, ndlaw enfrcement TheTskForce wscretedvi ExecuiveOrder5 in20 and renewed bysubequen order. TheTskForcea wholemees-bmointhl ndtheExecutiveCommittee meets urin the interveningmonhs TheTskForcemeesa he DiiionofEnvironmentlHelth NCDENR Severalsubcommitee aretskedwih implemeningthe foodprotecion gol ndiniiaive oftheTas orceT heaccomplishmentsoftheTas orce redeailedintheProjec Narrtive. Thepurposeofthefunding requet i osuppor Tsk-Freoltrcedaciiie onanannul bsisforaperio offiveyea rAs deailedinthe Budge Jutificthioenf utndswillbeusedto suprt rining ourech vene rntalf etrvs el ndperdiem upplie,publiction cot, regitraionfee,andspekerfTehee.fundingrequestwilul ppor websie tht illbeused topostinformtionperainingtotheTskForce sucha upcomingmeetingdte, eductional mteril, an informtiononcurrentf-oreoldtedeents. Thefudigreuesticludes suppotfo regulai -monthl meetinsoftheTs orceandonet-dwyomeetin/Inter-Sate Conferenceto behel annull. Thet-awyomeetin willconsistofa joitneuction/trinin meetin onthefirstdy withtheTs orcean membersoftheNCFreshProuceSafet Ts orce a committeeoftheTskForcecretedtoaddresspecific isue wihfrehproduceand lefygreen. TheseconddywillncsiotofanIne-StrateConferencedesine tobuil reltionhip wih locl, tte andfederalprner ousideofNorhCrolin. TheConference illoffer 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