MAINTAIN TENNESSEE'S MFRPS PROGRAM IN CONFORMANCE WITH CURRENT MANUFACTURED FOOD REGULATORY PROGRAM STANDARDS AND MAINTAIN TENNESSEE'S FOOD PROTECTION TASK FORCE

Maintain Tennessee's MFRPS program in Conformance with the Current Manufactured FoodRegulatory Program Standards and Maintain Tennessee?s Food Protection Task ForceMFRPS FFM Project Summary/AbstractThe FDA Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) program are intended to ensurethat State manufactured food regulatory programs develop and maintain best practices for a high-quality regulatory program. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) entered into the MFRPScooperative agreement program in 2012. Since then, significant and measureable improvements toTDA?s manufactured regulatory program have been achieved due to the funding provided through thiscooperative agreement. Improvements to training and curriculum development, proceduredevelopment, technology and data systems investments, inspection equipment, record keeping andrefinement of compliance and enforcement capabilities have occurred. TDA achieved fullimplementation and conformance of the 2016 MFRPS in August 2017.Moving forward, continued funding support is requested to assist TDA in maintaining full conformanceto current MFRPS standards as well as adapt to any future updated versions of the Standards. Thisfunding will enable TDA to continue full conformance to the MFRPS by providing the resources andinfrastructure necessary to sustain and enhance the State program?s regulatory activities aimed atreducing hazards in firms that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods.Food Protection Task Force (FPTF) Project Summary/AbstractThe Tennessee Food Safety (Protection) Task Force includes representation and support by partnersfrom industry, federal, state, and local regulatory agencies and educational institutions. Presently,Shanna Lively, Food Administrator for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and Kathrina Reed,Senior Quality and Regulations Manager for General Mills, are the Co-Chairs of the Task Force.The Food Safety Task Force plans to continue its annual cross-disciplinary conference and tabletopexercise. Each conference and table top exercise will bring together local, state, and regional regulatoryagencies and private industry food safety partners. The next conference/exercise is slated for July 2018.Funds requested reflect the Task Force?s desire to ensure continuation of these vital conferences andtable top exercises for the next five years.Continued sponsorship of subcommittees, workshops, and conferences allow Task Force representativesfrom academia and industry to interact with representatives from state, local, and federal government.This collaboration and sharing of knowledge and experiences related to food safety and security hasbeen an important outcome of the Task Force. A subcommittee charged with exploring and promotingthe adoption of the FDA Food Code in Tennessee brought about recommendations and assisted insponsoring legislation. In 2015, the legislation passed unanimously in part due to the groundwork laid bythe Task Force subcommittee. The Task Force promotes an integrated food safety system thatmaximizes protection of the public health through early detection and containment of foodbornethreats.