Collaborating with Retail Food Safety Associations to Advance Retail Food Initiatives and Reduce Foodborne Illness

Project Summary/Abstract
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) comprises of
nearly 3,000 local health departments (LHDs) across the U.S.. An integral piece of
NACCHO's mission is devoted to food safety, achieved through NACCHO's promotion
around the role of LHDs in food safety regulation and contributing toward an integrated
food safety system, in collaboration with federal partner agencies. NACCHO's proposal
will be accomplished by collaborating with the Conference for Food Protection (CFP)
and coordinating with Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative
(Collaborative). The Collaborative members have submitted a coordinated set of
funding applications and semi-annual meetings will be held. NACCHO's and DFP's
proposed two-year initiative lays out four key aims which will advance state, local, tribal,
and territorial (SLTT) retail food protection programs and reduce foodborne illness.
These include the following aims: (1) support, promote, and encourage complete
adoption of one of the latest FDA Food Codes by SLTTs; (2) increase retail food
regulatory programs' implementation of effective intervention strategies and application
of risk-based inspections; (3) increase enrollment and active participation in and
application of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
(VNRFRPS) by SLTT's and (4) support and amplify the Collaborative's efforts to reduce
the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors, assess active managerial control gaps,
and effectively communicate with retail food safety stakeholders. The aims will be
achieved through Collaborative workgroup efforts, environmental scans, key informant
interviews, focus groups, establishing a Retail Food Alliance, and utilizing
communication channels to communicate the Collaborative's joint messages and
resources. The Food Safety Advisory Group (SLTT program representatives from
diverse geographical locations and jurisdictional sizes) and Collaborative will inform the
two-year initiative to provide direction and feedback on project activities. Under the
guidance of these groups and FDS, NACCHO and CFP will develop tools and
resources essential for STLTTs to improve retail food safety programs and reduce
foodborne illness. NACCHO and CFP will share strategies on successful adoption of
the latest Food Code editions, implementation of effective intervention strategies,
application of effective risk-based inspection methods, and conformance to VNRFRPS.