Implementation of the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) (U18)

The mission of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Feed, Fertilizer, and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services (FFLDRS) Branch is to ensure the safety of the feed/food supply through effective prevention, intervention, and response programs. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) provides testing to government agencies that work to protect the nation’s food supply, consumers, and the environment. The CAC supports FFLDRS accomplish its mission of developing a strong inspection and enforcement program, industry education and training programs, and feed emergency response programs. The primary objective of our proposal is to further develop, implement, and sustain California’s best practices for a quality regulatory program to enhance animal feed and food safety. This would entail the strengthening of interagency collaboration, cooperation, and communication; achievement and sustainment of compliance with the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS); enhancement of coordination and interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other states’ feed inspection programs. The additional funds will assist the CAC maintain and expand its ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation providing the FFLDRS, Feed Inspection Program with the necessary support to conform to the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) feed sampling lab requirement. Under this proposal we are requesting $450,000 annually in grant funds for the next five years. Grant funds will be used to augment current animal feed inspection program capabilities, and provide the necessary infrastructure to continue further development and sustainment of AFRPS. One dedicated staff member will work on enhancing the program’s ability to conduct high-quality inspections and investigations to reduce the incidence of animal feed contamination and ultimately foodborne illness associated adulterated animal feed material/supply facilities.