Project Title: Establishing a Produce Safety Program in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) to Enhance Produce Safety and Promote Compliance with the FDA Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Project Description: This proposal outlines the NCDA&CS plan to establish a Produce Safety Program that includes industry and regulator outreach, education, and technical assistance to industry and regulators; in addition to inspection, compliance and enforcement components. This proposal will detail the collaborations and processes to accomplish goals under Competitions A and B of this funding announcement (PAR -16 - 137). Project Goals: Establish a Produce Safety Program that encourages the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables, fosters industry understanding of regulatory requirements, and promotes compliance with the requirements of the PSR. Project Objectives: 1. Complete an assessment to evaluate NC produce landscape and a self- assessment of available resources to determine produce safety program size and scope. 2. Establish a mechanism to develop and maintain an inventory of farms subject to the PSR. 3. Invest in NCDA&CS infrastructure. 4. Evaluate existing statutory and/or regulatory authority. 5. Provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to the farming community and regulators. 6. Design and implement an inspection, compliance and enforcement program. 7. Develop a multi-year strategy to achieve ongoing programmatic objectives. Expected Outcomes: The development of a Produce Safety Program that utilizes partnerships to leverage the expertise and knowledge of NCDA&CS, FDA, and collaborators such as North Carolina State University to enhance industry compliance with the rule. Budget: Total 5 year budget for Tier 3 Program: $5,310,000
This project, proposed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), entitled Establishing a Produce Safety Program in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) to Enhance Produce Safety and Promote Compliance with the FDA Produce Safety Rule (PSR), is intended to establish a Produce Safety Program that will encourage the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables, promote compliance with the requirements of the FDA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and improve public health protection. To establish this produce safety program, NCDA&CS will: ? Assess the NC produce landscape, available/needed resources and regulatory foundation relative to conducting on-farm inspections; ? Establish collaborations and processes to ensure a well-informed produce industry and regulatory staff; ? Develop a strategic implementation plan that identifies needed resources, timelines, milestones and goals for developing a produce safety program responsive to the PSR; and, ? Utilize the strategic plan to implement a produce safety program. The goals of this project will fulfill the food safety mandates of FSMA for increasing produce safety, strengthen federal-state partnerships, and advance the development of a Nationally Integrated Food Safety System.
