ADVANCING MINNESOTA' EFFORTS TOWARDS A NATIONALLY INTEGRATED FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM

Project AbstractThis cooperative agreement is intended to support the Manufactured Food Regulatory ProgramStandards (MFRPS), Rapid Response Teams (RRT) and Food Protection Task Force (FPTF)Programs, as well as Special Projects supporting these programs. The intended outcome of thisFOA is to advance efforts for a nationally integrated food safety system (IFSS) by assisting stateprograms in achieving and maintaining conformance with the MFRPS, establish and/or supporta Food Protection Task Force, facilitate long-term improvements and innovation by unifying andcoordinating federal/state/local human and animal food response efforts, and support innovationand integration in an IFSS using the MFRPS or RRT framework for special projects.The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Food and Feed Safety Division (FFSD)licenses and inspects approximately 10,000 food facilities including 2,000 manufactured foodfacilities in Minnesota. The MDA-FFSD has a dedicated Manufactured Food Programresponsible for manufactured food licensing, compliance, and inspection activities. TheManufactured Food Program has 16 staff members including one program manager, two foodsupervisors, one dedicated support person, and 12 field inspectors. FFSD has an additional 20staff that fully or partially support the Manufactured Food Program in administrative capacities.The MDA-FFSD, as part of this application, will create a strategic improvement plan thatoutlines maintaining full conformance with the MFRPS through maintenance and continuousimprovement. MDA-FFSD will advance national capacity and capabilities for response to foodcontamination events through the RRT and maintain a FPTF that provides a forum for allstakeholders of the state food protection system and maximize the protection of public healththrough integration activities. In addition, MDA-FFSD will complete special projects that amplifyMFRPS and RRT work that support FDA's mission and vision for building mutual reliance in anIFSS.