Path C Enhancing the LDAF FSMA Produce Safety Program for Continued Implementation of the FDA Produce Safety Rule

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Project Summary/Abstract Project Title: Enhancing the LDAF FSMA Produce Safety Program for Continued Implementation of the FDA Produce Safety Rule Utilizing Path C (State Authority) Project Description: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) required the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fresh produce for human consumption. This was accomplished with the publishing of the Produce Safety Rule. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) previously created a program charged with implementing the Produce Safety Rule in Louisiana. This project is intended to support the work of the existing program by continually assessing Louisiana’s produce landscape, program resources, education/outreach needs of Louisiana’s produce growing community, developing and verifying farm inventory, preparing procedures for an inspection, compliance, and enforcement program as well as the development of a program to address produce-related events response in Louisiana. LDAF will conduct their regulatory program using state authority (Path C). The relevant state law can be found at www.https://legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1052230. Project Goals: The overall goal of this project is to strengthen the existing LDAF FSMA Produce Safety Program.This will encourage the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables and promote high rates of compliance with the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule. Expected Outcomes: We expect that the successful implementation of this project will result in increased implementation of on-farm food safety practices by covered produce farms in Louisiana.The existing state-federal partnership will be deepened for inspection, compliance and enforcement of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule as envisioned by the law. Objectives: 1.Establish and maintain Project Plan and Assessment documents to guide the development of the program. 2.Establish and maintain the foundational resources, including, but not limited to, personnel, supplies, training, authority, and agreements, needed to fulfill the project plan. 3.Provide opportunities for education and outreach on the Produce Safety Rule and LDAF’s produce regulatory program to produce farms, prioritizing covered farms. 4.Maintain a complete and accurate inventory of produce farms. 5.Maintain an inspection program that focuses on quality and national consistency. 6.Maintain a compliance and enforcement program that focuses on quality and national consistency. 7.Establish and maintain a process for responding to produce-related events that are likely to result in a produce-related illness, injury or outbreak. Budget: $2,617,500 for 5 years to support regulatory program and education/outreach activities