Arkansas Department of Health's Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Inspection Program & Rapid Response Team Building Project Project Summary Currently the Arkansas Department of Health's (ADH) Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Program (WMFP) in the Food Protection Section of the Environmental Health Branch has been operational and functioning since 2013. Previous to 2013, inspections of manufactured food firms conducted by Arkansas Department of Health staff were conducted on two-hundred firms listed on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) contract for the year. We do not have a Rapid Response Team (RRT) and we are in the building and implementation phase of our Food Protection Task Force (FPTF). This project proposal will ensure continued development for the Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Program; provide the foundation for the development of a Rapid Response Team as well as further expand our efforts in creating a Food Protection Task Force. The Cooperative Agreement requested would continue to be used to support our manufactured foods inspection program efforts for the state of Arkansas so that our program progress to meet the full conformance with the MFRPS; maintain support for our electronic inspection program and ensure continuation of our participation with the National Food Safety Data Exchange. The funds requested for RRT will develop and maintain the program. Funds will support a full-time RRT coordinator, training, travel, and all associated support. Recently, WMFP has received written and informal statements of support for the development of a mutual alliance from multiple groups suggesting that food safety in Arkansas will continue to strengthen in the future. The development and maintenance funds requested for FPTF will establish and support FPTF. Comprised of stakeholders, the FPTF will promote an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) to improve human and animal food safety and defense through program coordination and information exchange within Arkansas and with federal partners. The ADH mission is to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. Building an IFSS and establishing a mutual reliance with federal and state partners will support the ADH mission. With continued FDA support, the Arkansas WMFP can continue to improve food safety within Arkansas and prepare for unexpected food incidents that could potentially extend beyond stateliness in the future. If the award is not approved for the systems and resources requested, the ADH would not be able to continue to fund a Wholesale/Manufactured foods program.
Arkansas Department of Health's Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Inspection Program & Rapid Response Team Building Project Project Narrative The Arkansas Department of Health's (ADH) Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Program (WMFP) is submitting application for five years maintenance support of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS); three years development and two years maintenance support of a Rapid Response Team (RRT) and; five years development and support of a Food Protection Task Force (FPTF) and;. The total amount of requested for the cooperative agreement is 2,067,443 dollars. Manufactured food safety in Arkansas has improved since the establishment of WMFP. Prior to 2013, manufactured food inspections were conducted by ADH staff on 200 firms under contract with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). In 2012 and with the help of the FDA, the Arkansas WMFP was started. In 2017 the WMFP conducted 102 routine, 91 new firm, 7 complaint and, 150 FDA contract inspections with full-time WMFP staff. WMFP has transitioned to an electronic inspection system. Additionally, WMFP in cooperation with the public health lab has sampled for antibiotics in imported fish and heavy metals in imported spices. WMFP also participated in a Good Samples pilot project with Envirostat called ?Sampling for Defensible Decisions Food and Feed.' WMFP is a member of FoodSHIED and has entered into an agreement with FDA to participate in the National Food Safety Data Exchange (NSFDX). Recently, WMFP has received written and informal statements of support for the development of a mutual alliance from multiple groups suggesting that food safety in Arkansas will continue to strengthen in the future. The maintenance funds requested for MFRPS will support two full-time inspectors, training, travel, and all associated support including maintaining the electronic inspection system by USA Food Safety. WMFP will maintain conformance with standards 1, 7, and 8 of the most recent version of MFRPS and work toward continuous improvement of all other standards, contracts, inspections, investigations, and enforcements. WMFP will share all strategies and resources developed under this cooperative agreement. WMFP will help support the public health lab maintain ISO 17025 accreditation for analysis of human food through sampling. Furthermore, WMFP will provide the foundation for FDA regulatory action based on WMFP inspections. The development and maintenance funds requested for FPTF will establish and support FPTF. Comprised of stakeholders, the FPTF will promote an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) to improve human and animal food safety and defense through program coordination and information exchange within Arkansas and with federal partners. The FPTF will also promote adoption of food protection laws and regulations including the Food Safety Modernization Act. The FPTF will identify annual goals/activities and report on progress including sharing innovative strategies of implementation. The funds requested for RRT will develop and maintain the program. Funds will support a full-time RRT coordinator, training, travel, and all associated support. With the use of the RRT Best Practices Manual and mentorship program, the RRT coordinator will establish a multi-jurisdiction, multi-disciplinary RRT and work toward attaining annual goals as outlined in the RRT Annual Expected Goals (Years 1-3 and All Years). The ADH mission is to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. Building an IFSS and establishing a mutual reliance with federal and state partners will support the ADH mission. With continued FDA support, the Arkansas WMFP can continue to improve food safety within Arkansas and prepare for unexpected food incidents that could potentially extend beyond stateliness in the future.
