Path C Maintaining the Produce Safety Rule in Mississippi to Enhance Safety in Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Storing Fresh Fruits & Vegetables MDAC

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Project Abstract Summary This Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s (MDAC) project intitled Maintaining the Produce Safety Rule in Mississippi to Enhance Safety in Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Storing Fresh Fruits and vegetables seeks to continue the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. MDAC is seeking funding support for personnel, travel, training, equipment, and supply costs needed to continue implementing its comprehensive and integrated produce safety division. To continue its alignment with the Produce Safety Rule, MDAC will require comprehensive assessments and new levels of cooperation between our state’s land grant universities, Mississippi State University and Alcorn State University. The activities that must take place to continue this alignment will not occur without significant and sustained financial obligations. The outcome of these activities will continue the development of multi-faceted administrative program(s) in support of the Produce Safety Rule. To date, the Mississippi State Legislature has not obligated monies for the development of a Produce Safety Division within the MDAC, and the goals set forth in this application will not be achieved without funding secured through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To align itself with reaching the goals of the Produce Safety Rule, the MDAC Regulatory Services Bureau has created a new Produce Safety Division through the funding provided by competition A and B. The Produce Safety manager has been hired to oversee one Outreach Coordinator, and possibly two Outreach Specialists, and work directly as the liaison with other agencies and universities to accomplish the goals of the project. One Produce Regulatory Supervisor and one Produce Regulatory Inspector has been hired and plan to hire additional Regulatory inspectors. This successful implementation of the Produce Safety Division allows the Produce Safety Manager to manage all programmatic activities included but not limited to the development of a Strategic Action Plan, stakeholder communications, educational outreach to industry, audit assistance, enforcement support, and the development of the Mississippi Farm Inventory. The Produce Safety Division anticipates identifying 2,066 covered farms in the state, educating 1,595 covered farms, and inspecting 47 farms annually by July 1, 2026. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s Produce Safety Division is a Path C Program. 69-1-56 Mississippi code of 1972 adopts the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 112) in its entirety.