NDA awarded $2 million food safety grant from U.S. FDA

Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health and Human Services, the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) will offer training, workshops and technical assistance to Nevada farmers to aid in the prevention of produce-related food safety outbreaks throughout the state. Through this grant, the NDA will receive nearly $2 million over five years to help farmers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) guidelines.

“The support we can provide thanks to this grant will be an asset to farmers and community members,” said Ashley Jeppson, program manager, said in a press release. “Over the five-year period, we will implement a produce safety program, share our safety efforts with the public and create educational resources to address the specific needs of Nevada growers.”

To fulfil the FSMA PSR regulations, the NDA will capture farm inventory data to develop an education and enforcement program that represents the needs of Nevada’s produce industry. The NDA will also provide assistance to Nevada farms on industry recognized best practices for minimizing food safety risks.

The FSMA was signed into law in 2011, and requires farmers to take steps to eliminate hazards when growing fruits and vegetables. The law mandates operations that grow produce commonly consumed raw to implement and monitor a food safety control plan.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) promotes a business climate that is fair, economically viable and encourages an environmental stewardship that serves to protect food, fiber and human health and safety through effective service and education. NDA includes the divisions of Administration, Animal Industry, Consumer Equitability, Food and Nutrition and Plant Industry.