Building the Capacity of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture Consumer Protection Division to Meet Compliance with the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards

South Carolina Department of Agriculture The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is seeking funding support for personnel, travel, training, equipment and supply costs needed to implement a comprehensive and integrated food protection plan that will meet the objectives of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS). SCDA Consumer Protection Division (CPD) has been involved in the process of MFRPS compliance since 2008. The primary obstacle impeding SCDA in achieving compliance to the Standards has been limitations in staffing levels. To overcome this barrier, this proposal for a Cooperative Agreement includes funding for two additional full time employees (Year One) to be exclusively dedicated to the successful development of a MFRPS program. To reach MFRPS compliance within five years, the SCDA will hire one full time MFRPS Program Coordinator to manage all programmatic activities related to MFRPS, including but not limited to the development of a strategic action plan, improved stakeholder communications, educational outreach to industry, audit assistance and enforcement support, improvement of the Department’s ability to coordinate trace back/trace forward efforts, and outbreak communications with the public. A second full time Administrative Assistant position to support the activities of the MFRPS Program Coordinator will also be added to the current staff through the proposed funding. The person in this position will be expected to execute the efficient tracking of inspections, complaints, audit findings, trainings, outreach activities, and any other related information of this program. Achieving conformance with the MFRPS will enable the SCDA to ensure that national standardized food safety objectives are met and that SCDA has staff and resources to both enforce and advance these objectives.