Path B CDFA Continuation and Enhancement of the Produce Safety Program

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California Department of Food and Agriculture PAR-21-174 Project Period: 2021-2026 Project Summary/Abstract The request in this proposal allows the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to continue the development of a sustainable Produce Safety Program within California. This will be accomplished by enhancing the current program to conduct the necessary farm inspections; provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to growers; and develop a farm inventory database. CDFA chose to respond using Path B and will complete all applicable program objectives: • Goal 1: Conduct ongoing program assessments and planning while maintaining foundational resources that are essential to sustainable implementation of the PSP. • Goal 2: Routinely provide education, outreach, and technical assistance opportunities. • Goal 3: Establish a robust farm inventory within a database management system to maintain a complete and accurate database of California produce farms. • Goal 4: Create an integrated inspectional approach that represents and enables a proactive (partnership) approach to foodborne outbreaks and focusing on education of growers. • Goal 5: Implement the compliance and enforcement program with emphasis on consistency. • Goal 6: Strengthen CDFA’s event response planning infrastructure to build upon existing systems for detecting, investigating, analyzing, and mitigating foodborne illness outbreaks. To achieve these goals, CDFA will continually assess and strategically plan to increase the capacity of the existing regulatory program; perform ongoing expansion and quality control of the produce farm inventory; provide opportunities for education and training using evidence-based, nationally consistent training and workshops; and utilize a systems approach to maintain and further develop a comprehensive compliance and enforcement program focused on quality and national consistency. Expected Outcomes: Continued development of the PSP will reduce public health risks for consumers of California produce across the nation. Utilizing a systems approach including both education and enforcement to promote understanding of and compliance with the PSR, CDFA will encourage the safe growing/harvesting/packing/holding of fruits and vegetables, significantly advance a national integrated food safety system, and effectively fulfill the requirements of FSMA.