Continuing to Support and Enhance an Integrated Food Safety System Through Implementation of Program Standards, Training, Data Sharing, and Collaboration

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AFDO 2021 Alliance to Support Integrated Public Health System Activities Application: Project Summary The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) will direct and implement the activities under this cooperative agreement which will facilitate FDA’s implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and help increase mutual reliance between agencies, improve public health protection, and help develop a nationally Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS). AFDO has been representing regulatory food programs, including state manufactured food programs, since 1896. The Principal Investigator and project staff include former state manufactured food program managers that have extensive experience developing state food safety programs, implementing programmatic change to achieve conformance with the requirements of the MFRPS, and collaborating with FDA on manufactured food related issues and IFSS activities. Major activities conducted under this cooperative agreement include but are not limited to:  Providing oversight and support to the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Alliance (MFRPA) to support state continuous improvement in the implementation of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS);  Conducting research and surveys on the capabilities of state manufactured food programs;  Researching and developing mechanisms to enhance data sharing;  Maintaining and enhancing the secure online MFRPA Portal for sharing information and data related to best practices, guidance documents, procedures, and other critical tools;  Maintaining and enhancing directories for subject matter experts and the Directory of State and Local Officials (DSLO) to improve interagency communication and provide access to key contacts necessary for inter-agency collaboration in an IFSS;  Collaborating to develop, deliver, and support state attendance at food safety and defense training programs that enhance conformance with the MFRPS and implementation of FSMA. Training will include the face-to-face annual meetings for the MFRPA and Rapid Response Teams (RRT), as well as web-based and face-to-face training courses designed to increase core regulatory and scientific knowledge;  Researching methods to further promote food safety related regulatory careers with colleges and universities and developing opportunities for experiential learning for college students and food safety professionals in manufactured food topics.