In a bid to fortify global food safety, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has partnered with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to announce a funding opportunity. The initiative, titled “Implementation of U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act – Identifying, Researching and Implementing Alternative Methods to Expand the Reach Across the Global Supply Chain (U01),” is designed to address challenges associated with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rules on a global scale.
As the FDA rolled out the FSMA, recognizing the need for preventive measures in the face of rising foodborne illnesses, IICA became a pivotal partner. With a focus on the Americas, IICA’s expertise has been crucial in implementing preventive measures and training stakeholders to meet FSMA requirements.
Given that 13% of all food products consumed in the United States are imported, and certain types of food have even higher import percentages, the FDA and IICA emphasize the importance of collaboration on a global scale. The FDA’s International Food Safety Capacity-Building Plan sets the stage for expanding technical, scientific, and regulatory capacities worldwide, with a particular focus on Latin America.
The FDA and IICA’s collaboration began in 2017 with the first of two cooperative agreements, addressing barriers like cultural and logistical challenges to meet FSMA’s training requirements. The recent funding opportunity builds on these collaborations, aiming to identify, develop, and implement alternative approaches to current training modalities. It emphasizes the extreme urgency to address food safety issues globally, especially in the face of recent outbreaks associated with imported produce to the United States.
The funding opportunity, open for applications from December 18, 2023, to February 19, 2024, represents a continuation and expansion of the FDA-IICA partnership. The program seeks to support research and needs assessments aligned with FDA domestic and global goals, focusing on the FSMA Rules and the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint.
With a recognition of the increasing complexity of the global food supply chain, the initiative emphasizes key program objectives, such as researching knowledge and adoption of FDA requirements in Latin America, supporting the development of risk assessment and prevention strategies, and promoting global leadership to strengthen food safety culture.
In light of the CDC’s estimates of 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, the funding initiative underscores the importance of preventive measures throughout the production chain and innovative educational methodologies. The FDA and IICA’s joint efforts aim to create a culture of food safety globally, develop technological tools, and promote risk-based strategies that can serve as models for industries around the world. The program’s specific objectives include outreach, education, and training on the FDA’s Food Traceability Rule and addressing challenges posed by new regulations and industry dynamics.
This cooperative agreement marks a crucial step in advancing global food safety, addressing the need for collaboration, research, and innovation to create a safer and more resilient global food supply chain. More funding information can be found at RFA-FD-24-013: Implementation of U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act – Identifying, Researching and Implementing Alternative Methods to Expand the Reach Across the Global Supply Chain (U01) – Clinical Trials Not Allowed (nih.gov)
