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NIFA awards money to farmers, others implementing FSMA

More than $4.7 million distributed in three categories.

October 19, 2016

2 Min Read

Grants made available through NIFA’s Food Safety Outreach Program will assist owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, small fresh fruit and vegetable wholesalers, food hubs, farmers markets and others who are impacted by the new food safety guidelines established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

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“Providing food safety training for small farm owners and food processors is critically important to the health of consumers,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Outreach, training and technical support are essential to the successful implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.”

In 2015, NIFA and the FDA funded the creation of national and regional centers to extend food safety education, training and technical assistance to groups affected by new FSMA guidelines. NIFA’s Food Safety Outreach Program uses that infrastructure to assist grantees that will work directly with producers and collaborate with the centers to share best practices and lessons learned to inform future projects.

The 2016 awards of more than $4.7 million were made in three categories:

1. Pilot Projects to support the development and implementation of new food safety education and outreach programs in local communities that address the needs of small, specialized audiences;

-Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill., $146,893

-Third Sector New England Inc., Boston, Mass., $60,000

-University of Maryland, College Park, Md., $57,991

-Local Food Hub Inc., Charlottesville, Va., $59,926

2. Community Outreach Projects focused on the growth and expansion of existing food safety education and outreach programs;

-Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $150, 773

-University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass., $144,617

-Penn State University, State College, Pa., $163,085

-University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $161,287

-Viva Farms, Mount Vernon, Wash., $163, 416

-Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, Madison, Wisc., $152,600

3. Multistate education and training projects to support the development and implementation of multi-county, statewide or multi-state food safety education and outreach programs where there are common food safety concerns;

-University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, $522,893

-Northeast Organic Farming Association, Road Barre, Mass., $522,348

More information on these projects is available on the NIFA website.

Source: USDA NIFA

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