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State ag officials praise FDA for produce safety funding
Story Date: 7/20/2017
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Source: NATIONAL ASSOC. OF STATE DEPTS. OF AGRICULTURE, 7/19/17
Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) today praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their expanded $30.9 million commitment to 43 states and territories to support the proper implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
“Congress envisioned the states and FDA working together as an integrated food safety system when it passed FSMA,” said NASDA CEO Dr. Barbara P. Glenn. “The additional funding is another important step in the process of advancing the goals Congress established in 2011.”
“Safe food is a quintessential American value. Congress’ commitment to fund FDA and FDA pointing the funds to the states is an important milestone. We appreciate the continued advancements on collaboration that these commitments afford.”
FDA received funding to initiate the integrated food safety system in 2016. Forty-two states established cooperative agreements to implement the Produce Safety rule. FDA funded those states at $21.8M for the initial planning year. This year, FDA has increased the second year funding and added another state to the effort. The state agency cooperating with FDA in thirty-nine of the states are the departments of agriculture.
NASDA and FDA entered into a cooperative agreement in 2014 and have been working together on strategy for FSMA implementation funds. As a part of the cooperative effort NASDA has developed a proposed NASDA Model Produce Safety Implementation Framework for states to consider as they contemplate the implementation of the Produce Safety rule. NASDA has also developed an On-Farm Readiness Review Process, in conjunction with the FDA and extension services, to offer a voluntary, non-regulatory opportunity to assess a farm’s readiness for FSMA compliance.
NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders.
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