Path C Maintaining the Produce Safety Program at VDACS under Path C to Enhance Produce Safety and Achieve High Rates of Compliance with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule.

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PROJECT SUMMARY Project Title: Maintaining the Produce Safety Program at VDACS under Path C to Enhance Produce Safety and Achieve High Rates of Compliance with the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. Project Description: To maintain a produce safety regulatory program in Virginia to address the growing, packing, holding and dissemination of produce grown on farms and achieve high rates of compliance with the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. This project will be a collaborative effort between FDA, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The VDACS Produce Safety Program will follow Path C of the cooperative agreement. As such, we also intend to conduct sprout inspections under Subpart M of the Produce Safety Rule. The VDACS’ inspection and enforcement authority is confirmed by state law that adopts 21 CFR Part 112 in its entirety. (http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/producesfty-VAlaw.pdf) Project Goals: This project will follow the project plan for alignment of VDACS’ regulatory program and activities with FDA’s Produce Safety Rule. Goals include conforming to the required program objectives (#1 through #7) in the cooperative agreement targeted towards farm level entities that grow, harvest, pack and hold produce for human consumption. The main goal of the project is to achieve high rates of compliance with the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule that will encourage the safe production of fruits and vegetables, promote understanding and minimize the risk of serious adverse health consequences or death from consumption of contaminated Virginia grown produce as well as to ensure the further integration into a Nationally Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS). Expected Outcomes: We believe that the partnerships and plans that will emerge from this project will create a federal-state relationship that will leverage the existing expertise, knowledge and resources of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University that will result in consistent and successful regulatory farm inspections. Budget: $925,000 per year, totaling $4,625,000 for the five-year grant period.