Three Additional FDA Monitoring Grants Awarded To Enhance Food And Feed Safety
The FDA has awarded $1 million in Food Safety and Security Monitoring grants to three states.
Arkansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin will each receive $350,000 to fund Food Emergency Response Network chemistry laboratories, in continuing efforts to facilitate the creation of a nationally integrated food safety system. Last year the FDA awarded $5.2 million in similar grants to state and local agencies in California, Ohio and Colorado.
According to the FDA, the money can be used by the states for facility upgrades, training in current food testing methodologies, increased laboratory sample analysis capacity and other activities.
The Arkansas Department of Health is expected to use the funds to increase its capability for testing for toxic and unknown substances in food products, to enhance its ability to provide regional support during national food surveillance activities, and to increase its state and local emergency response capacities.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture will reportedly use the grant money to increase its food product and chemical analysis abilities. Nebraska may also use the money to expand laboratory capacities.
Finally, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has indicated that it will likely use the money to enhance its food-related emergency response systems, specifically in the area of chemical analysis.
According to the FDA, the recipients of the grants may also be required, in the event of a national food-related emergency, to perform selected analyses of food samples collected by the FDA or other government agencies.
