The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is currently being implemented and will have a significant impact on many food producers and processors. On August 23, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a $1.5 million grant to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Foundation to deliver outreach and training on FSMA to underserved growers and processors.
New England Farmers Union is a partner on this grant, along with National Young Farmers Coalition, Maryland, New York and Washington State Departments of Agriculture, Cornell University, the Deep South Food Alliance and others.
The cooperative agreement, entitled “Local Food Producer Outreach, Education, and Training to Enhance Food Safety and FSMA Compliance” will focus on serving diversified, sustainable, organic and identity-preserved agricultural operations, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, value-added farm businesses, small-size processors, and direct and intermediate supply chain participants.
Collaborators on this project at the national, state, and local level will work together to develop and deliver alternative training, education, and outreach programs that will ensure that underserved food industry participants will be included and supported through the process of FSMA implementation.
You can also learn more from FDA’s press release here, and NFU’s press release here.