The North Carolina Department of Agriculture &Consumer Services [NCDA&CS] Food & Drug Protection Division (Division) is comprised of a Food Program, Feed Program, Drug Program and Laboratory. The Food Program is governed by and responsible for enforcement of the NC Food Drug &Cosmetic Act, the NC Dairy Laws and the NC Egg Law. The Feed Program is responsible for the enforcement of the NC Commercial Feed Law. Both of these programs contract annually with FDA to conduct food and feed firm inspections in NC. The Laboratory supports all regulatory actions conducted by the Food and Feed Programs. The Food, Feed and Laboratory Programs will all be included in the Rapid Response Team proposal presented in this document. Below are the goals and criteria for the targeted in this proposal Criteria 1: Meet Program Goals as stated in the RFA Goal 1: Continue to the a development of all hazards Food/Feed Rapid Response Team (RRT) Goal 2: Implement the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Goal 3: Performing manufactured food inspections within the parameters of the MFRPS Goal 4: Perform recalls and market withdrawals of as a result of food emergencies Criteria 2: Provide evidence of the availability of adequately trained food and feed program staff and the criteria to hire and/or train personnel as defined in this proposal and methodology for program assessment, improvement, development and collaboration and the justification for hiring new staff when the need was identified. Criteria 3: Provide evidence of the availability of adequately trained personnel to support the activities required under this cooperative agreement and the agency commitment and support for this project including the further development and implementation of a Rapid Response Team and supporting infrastructure. Outline rapid response capabilities and the plan to incorporate the RRT into the existing program Criteria 4: Provide a detailed description of the current food and feed regulatory programs including current funding level certification for food and feed safety programs. Criteria 5: Provide a detailed two-year budget to implement the RRT and enhance the food protection program in the state and the nation.
PubicHeathReevanceStatement The NCDA&CS Food and Drug Protection Division strives to protect the food supply and public health through education and outreach, inter-agency cooperation and communication, as well as by providing comprehensive manufacturing and retail inspections. The Rapid Response Team became an important tool in complementing our program. Its implementation has greatly enhanced North Carolina's ability to prevent, detect, respond, mitigate and recover from occasions where our food supply, human or animal, intentional or unintentional, was compromised.
