Arkansas Department of Health's Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Inspection Program & Rapid Response Team Building Project

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Arkansas Department of Health's Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Inspection Program & Rapid Response Team Building Project Project Summary Currently the Arkansas Department of Health's (ADH) Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Program (WMFP) in the Food Protection Section of the Environmental Health Branch has been operational and functioning since 2013. Previous to 2013, inspections of manufactured food firms conducted by Arkansas Department of Health staff were conducted on two-hundred firms listed on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) contract for the year. We do not have a Rapid Response Team (RRT) and we are in the building and implementation phase of our Food Protection Task Force (FPTF). This project proposal will ensure continued development for the Wholesale/Manufactured Foods Program; provide the foundation for the development of a Rapid Response Team as well as further expand our efforts in creating a Food Protection Task Force. The Cooperative Agreement requested would continue to be used to support our manufactured foods inspection program efforts for the state of Arkansas so that our program progress to meet the full conformance with the MFRPS; maintain support for our electronic inspection program and ensure continuation of our participation with the National Food Safety Data Exchange. The funds requested for RRT will develop and maintain the program. Funds will support a full-time RRT coordinator, training, travel, and all associated support. Recently, WMFP has received written and informal statements of support for the development of a mutual alliance from multiple groups suggesting that food safety in Arkansas will continue to strengthen in the future. The development and maintenance funds requested for FPTF will establish and support FPTF. Comprised of stakeholders, the FPTF will promote an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) to improve human and animal food safety and defense through program coordination and information exchange within Arkansas and with federal partners. The ADH mission is to protect and improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans. Building an IFSS and establishing a mutual reliance with federal and state partners will support the ADH mission. With continued FDA support, the Arkansas WMFP can continue to improve food safety within Arkansas and prepare for unexpected food incidents that could potentially extend beyond stateliness in the future. If the award is not approved for the systems and resources requested, the ADH would not be able to continue to fund a Wholesale/Manufactured foods program.