Fda-drug Residue Cooperative Agreement Program (u18)

Iowa Project Summary/Abstract (tissue)Given the large impact of Iowa's feed manufacturing industry, providing information througheducation about the prevention of drug residue based on the scientific principles of feed/foodsafety is paramount to protecting Iowans and consumers throughout the nation and world.Furthermore, the President has provided a significant level of focus on food safety nationally ashas Congress with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Similarly, withinIowa we have found an added interest in food safety.Speaking to groups to provide information through education is a large part of what our Bureauhas identified to be successful with the FDA Drug Residue Cooperative Agreement Program.Initially the Bureau will restructure duties of existing staff to allow us time to evaluate if a newstaff person is needed to assist in this area. We will start by getting involved with personalappearances in the agriculture classes at the State's Universities, Colleges, Junior Colleges andeven the High Schools. We will use willing subject matter experts from around the country viawebinars. We will educate our inspectors about the prevention of drug resides. We will developdrug residue prevention material that will include a survey which our inspectors will hand out atall of our 500+ inspections throughout the year. Our inspectors will be properly trained so theycan answer any questions that they may receive. We will enhance, and make available, theexisting pamphlets that are already being used by the Animal Industry Bureau or we will createour own. We will make sure the information can be relayed to the public in a manner than canbe understood. We will make available the drug residue materials at State and County Fairs aswell as being involved with mailings. We will record an event/webinar of a training seminar andpost it on-line so it can be available to anyone at any time. The recorded seminar along with theinformational pamphlets will be posted on our website so they will be available to everyone(including FDA) and will continue to be available after the end of the agreement.The objective of this agreement is intended to ensure that IDALS develops a drug residueprevention program to protect consumer exposure to drug residues in the edible products offood animals. This will be achieved by educating laypersons and practitioners of the risks ofdrug residues and providing them methods of prevention.This will significantly enhance the quality of food sold in Iowa.