Developing a Coordinated Effort within Iowa to Implement an Infrastructure, Education, Technical Assistance, and Inventory Program in Alignment with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule

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Developing a Coordinated Effort within Iowa to Implement an Infrastructure, Education, Technical Assistance, and Inventory Program in Alignment with the FDA's Produce Safety Rule Project Description: In March 2016 the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) was made aware of the FDA FOA# PAR-16-137. IDALS established a Produce Safety Rule steering committee to begin development of a state program that will encourage safe produce production, and promote compliance with PSR. The state’s program outlined in this proposal will build upon the work accomplished to date by NASDA, established partnerships with additional states, associations and stakeholders. Project Goals: The proposed project will establish a coalition of produce and food safety experts, from within IDALS and Iowa State University. Steering committee members and sub awardees will provide the leadership, policy and technical expertise needed to complete jurisdictional self-assessments, planning, farm inventory, infrastructure development, multi-year planning, education and outreach and technical assistance, and any needed legislative research. The goal is compilation of an inventory, assessments needs, training, and a strategic plan for alignment of state programs and activities with FDA’s PSR. Expected Outcomes: We believe that the partnerships and plans that will emerge from the work outlined in this proposal will create a strong and viable approach to safe fresh fruit and vegetable production in Iowa – leveraged off of the federal-state relationship and the existing expertise at the state and sub-grantee levels. This will result in a consistent and successful infrastructure, education, technical assistance, and inventory program. Project Objectives: 1) Perform a self-assessment and multi-year planning of the state’s capacity and needs to under the “Competition A” track. Project over five years program needs including budget needs, research needs, and any needed changes to infrastructure capacities. 2) Identify metrics & develop models for training, technical support/assistance, information technology, legislative research, and farm inventory. 3) Determine long term goals and milestones for producers in aligning their farms and facilities with FDA's produce rule and identifying the resources needed for implementation of the aligned requirements.