Education and Outreach to Tribal Producers through the Tribal Food Safety Alliance

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Summary of Work Proposed Through this project, the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas, the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), and the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) at the University of Arizona will continue the work of the nation’s first Native Food Safety Alliance (NFSA). Together, these three organizations will continue address the unique, specialized needs of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) food producers and food businesses, providing training and education on food safety and ensuring that Indian Country has access to a reliable bench of culturally competent trainers with food safety expertise and a thorough understanding of the way that the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules will impact their operations. To address these specialized needs, our organizations invite FDA to continue this partnership and the work of the TFSA to provide dedicated and culturally relevant food safety training, education, and outreach to Indian Country stakeholders. Our overarching goal for TFSA has and continues to be providing Native growers and food business owners across Indian Country with the kind of culturally appropriate training, education, and outreach on food safety that will help them be successful in the marketplace. This goal aligns well with FDA’s goal through these agreements, to enhance the fundamental knowledge of food safety and especially on-farm good agricultural practices of tribal stakeholders subject to applicable FSMA regulations. The continuation of this Native Food Safety Alliance will help FDA continue to support a nationally integrated food safety system in a way that makes certain that cultural practices around food and principles of indigenous food science are accounted for and respected in training and implementation.