Developing A Coordinated National Animal Food Safety Program

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACTProject Title: Developing a Coordinated, National Implementation Framework for the PreventiveControls for Animal Food RuleProject Description: The project outlined in this proposal builds upon the planning and work alreadyaccomplished to date by AAFCO, NASDA, and FDA, with the goal of fully developing a coordinated,national implementation framework for the Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) Rule.Project Goals: The proposed project will establish an Animal Food Safety Working Group (AFSWG),representing both policy and operations, with membership comprised of personnel from StateDepartments of Agriculture and other agencies with animal food regulatory responsibilities. Projectmembers will work with FDA to provide the leadership, policy and technical expertise needed tocomplete comprehensive assessments of State regulatory authorities and resource needs, and develop anational implementation framework that aligns State regulations and activities with FDA's PCAF rule.Expected Outcomes: We believe that the partnerships and plans that will emerge from the workoutlined in this proposal will create a Federal-State relationship which will leverage the existingexpertise, knowledge, and enforcement authorities of State regulatory staff, resulting in consistent andsuccessful national implementation of the PCAF rule.Project Objectives:1) Assemble a group of leaders (representing both Policy and Operations) from State Departments ofAgriculture or other State departments with animal food regulatory responsibility to create a StateAnimal Food Safety Working Group (AFSWG) to identify State program resource needs so that States canserve the leadership role envisioned by FDA in implementing the PCAF rule.2) Obtain information regarding current State requirements applicable to animal food and State legalauthority to conduct inspections, collect samples, perform training, provide education and technicalassistance, and execute enforcement action relating to compliance with animal food regulatoryrequirements.3) Determine resources needed by States to conduct these activities as part of their implementation ofState requirements that are aligned with FDA's PCAF rule.4) Draft an Animal Food Safety Implementation Framework (AFSIF) that includes information to assistStates in aligning their requirements with FDA's PCAF rule and identifying the specific resources and/orfunding model needed for implementation of the aligned requirements. The framework shall addressState resource gaps in implementing the PCAF rule and shall include collaboration with relevant Stateassociations.Budget: $300,000 per year for five (5) years, totaling $1,500,000 Page 1 of 1