ISDA Grant

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) recently received notification it was selected to receive a five-year grant award offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is related to implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. The grant’s first-year award amounts to $429,650.

 

The grant project is aimed at facilitating development of a produce safety plan to help growers align with FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule requirements. It also will advance a national integrated food safety system resulting in long-term improvements to public health by lowering the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with produce. The project primarily includes conducting a jurisdictional assessment of Idaho’s produce landscape and developing and disseminating outreach, education and technical assistance to producers in complying with the Produce Safety Rule.

 

The Produce Safety Rule is one of seven new FSMA rules published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Produce Safety Rule outlines requirements for on-farm standards and measures to improve produce safety of agriculture products generally consumed raw. Depending on operation size, onions and tree fruit farms are examples of operations which may be subject to the rule.

 

For further information about the grant award, please contact Pamm Juker at pamela.juker@isda.idaho.gov or (208) 332-8671.