CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE MILK AND DAIRY FOOD SAFETY BRANCH FLEXIBLE FUNDING MODEL FOR MFRPS DEVELOPMENT

AbstractThe Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch (MDFSB) of the California Department of Food andAgriculture (CDFA) is charged with the mission and responsibility of ensuring that California'smilk, milk products, and products resembling milk products are safe and wholesome, meetmicrobial and compositional requirements and are properly labeled. To fulfill this mission, MDFSBconducts regulatory food safety activities at all sectors of the dairy industry from farm to table,including inspections of dairy farms, bulk milk tanker trucks, milk processing plants, industry milktesting laboratories and manufacturers of single-use dairy containers. MDFSB also collectsregulatory samples of milk, milk products and water supplies for laboratory testing, responds toconsumer complaints and food safety incidents, and initiates impounds and product recalls toprotect public health as warranted. In addition, sanitation ratings by MDFSB personnel certify milksupplies and milk plants for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to ship Grade-Amilk and milk products in interstate commerce.The primary objective of our proposal is to further develop, implement, and sustain California?sbest practices for a quality regulatory program to enhance the safety of human food regulated byour branch. This would entail the strengthening of interagency collaboration, cooperation, andcommunication; achievement and sustainment of compliance with the Manufactured FoodRegulatory Program Standards (MFRPS); enhancement of coordination and interactions with theU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other states? dairy inspection programs.Under this proposal we are requesting $1,495,151 in grant funds for the period of the contract.Grant funds will be used to augment current program capabilities, and provide the necessaryinfrastructure to continue further development and sustainment of MFRPS. MDFSB staff will workon enhancing the program?s ability to conduct high-quality inspections and investigations to helpprevent human food contamination and ultimately foodborne illness associated with dairyproducts made in California.