Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS)
Project Period: 8/1/2012 – 7/31/2017
Budget per year: Average $273,600 (Total Grant Award: 1,368,382)
The Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) are a set of standards developed by the FDA that can be used by the states as a guide for continuous improvement for state food manufacturing programs. The standards promote development of a high-quality state manufactured food regulatory program and include a process for continuous improvement. Gaps are identified, improvement plans are developed and strategic goals are identified. The areas of focus include regulatory foundation, training, inspection programs, auditing, food defense, enforcement and compliance, stakeholder outreach and laboratory services.
The MFRPS allows for the development of risk-based food safety programs by establishing a uniform basis for measuring and improving the performance of State manufactured food regulatory programs in the United States. By achieving and sustaining conformance with these program standards, food safety programs of Federal and State regulatory agencies can better direct their regulatory activities toward reducing foodborne illness hazards in food plants. Consequently, the safety and security of the United States food supply will improve.
Achieving and sustaining conformance with the program standards will require comprehensive self-assessment on the part of a State program and will encourage continuous improvement and innovation. State manufactured food regulatory programs receiving funds under this cooperative agreement will be expected to achieve significant to full conformance by Year 5 of the cooperative agreement.
For the purpose of this funding opportunity, full conformance is accomplished if the State manufactured food regulatory program has policies and procedures in place that meet all of the MFRPS requirements and the program uses the policies and procedures as written for all program elements and documentation requirements within each standard. Significant conformance is accomplished if the State manufactured food regulatory program has policies and procedures in place that meet 80% or more of the individual program elements within each of the ten standards of the MFRPS and the program uses the policies and procedures as written for all elements and documentation requirements within each standard; and if, for those individual program elements not met, the state program has a detailed strategic plan on how the remaining MFRPS elements and documentation requirements not yet met will be fully implemented and demonstrate. The strategic plan will include: A detailed timeline including what needs to be accomplished to implement the element and/or documentation requirement, who will be doing the work, and when the work will be completed
Nevada Food Safety Task Force (NFSTF)
Project Period: 9/1/2015 – 8/31/2016
Budget per year: Total Grant Award: $8,613.00
Comprised of Nevada professionals this Food Safety Task Force is actively involved in education, promoting food safety and defense across the state and surrounding areas. To best achieve our goals we ensure the membership is comprised of persons from regulatory authorities, food and beverage industry, academia, and the consumer population. The Task Force’s most recent objectives include streamlining suspected foodborne illness reporting and inspections, providing education with essential tools to temporary event vendors, improving communication channels between industry and regulatory agencies, standardizing inspections throughout the state, and hosting a conference. The group has an evolving list of additional goals.