North Carolina Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (mfrps) (u18)

Project SummaryThe specific aim of the NCDA&CS Food and Drug Protection Division Food Program in submitting the enclosed proposal for funding is tocontinue their efforts towards building the nationally integrated food safety system as required in the Food Safety Modernization Act of2011. The outcome that will be realized is the definition and implementation of processes and systems that comprise a model inspectionsystem. In addition, there will be continuation of the infrastructure building that is required to achieve full conformance with theManufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS).GoalsAchieve full compliance with the MFRPS - Achieve full conformance with the MFRPS within the five year of this cooperative program.Quality Management System -Currently the food Program's quality management system is being maintained by a Quality Specialist (FoodCompliance Officer I) but that position will terminate with the conclusion of the Rapid Response Team and Infrastructure DevelopmentCooperative Agreement in August 2013. The Food Program is proposing continued funding for this position for the next five years to ensurethat the Food Program efforts to improve their quality management initiative will continue to develop and be executed.Regulatory Base - Once the final rules for each component of FSMA are released, North Carolina will be faced with a massive rule makingprocess that will require expertise in law as well as the State's rule making process. In order to address this need, the Food Program isproposing the addition of a Regulatory Policy Coordinator position to accomplish this task. The position will require a background in lawand a focus on administrative rule makingOutreach - NCDA&CS currently has a position that focuses on the outreach activities required by MFRPS Standard 7. Funding for thatposition will terminate with the conclusion of the Rapid Response Team and Infrastructure Development Cooperative Agreement in August2013. The Food Programs is proposing to continue funding of that position of Outreach Coordinator (Food Compliance Officer I) to focus onthe additional outreach and education requirements mandated by implementation of FSMA.Development of FSMA training for staff - Changes to the inspection process mandated by new or revised regulation requirements withinFSMA require re-engineering the Food Program's inspection processes. As part of the MFRPS Cooperative Agreement, it is being proposedthat a video-based, regulation-specific set of training be developed and delivered in conjunction with North Carolina State's Department ofFood, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences. This expected outcome is that the Food Program's staff will achieve a demonstrated mastery ofeach change in regulation requirements (MFRPS Standards 2 and 3).