Path C Maryland Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Program

Project Title: Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Path C Produce Safety Program Project Description: The FDA Produce Safety Rule has been adopted in its entirety into the Maryland Annotated Code Agriculture Article Maryland Produce Safety Program §§16-101 to 16-111 2019 and MDA will follow Program Path C, Regulatory Band 6 and Education and Inventory Band 7, as outlined

in FOA PAR-21-174, to further develop and implement the Maryland Produce Safety Program. The MD Secretary of Agriculture designated inspection and enforcement authority for Subpart M to the Maryland Department of Health as they already regulate sprout growers jointly with FDA. The project will be a collaborative effort with FDA and regulatory and education partners to create and

implement a program that achieves high rates of compliance with the FDA Produce Safety Rule. Project Overarching Goal: To enhance, develop and implement a Maryland Produce Safety Program with a focus on quality and national consistency by conducting assessment, planning, regulatory and educational activities to meet the program objectives.

Program Objectives: 1. Conduct assessments of the Maryland produce landscape, produce- related event response and program resources to develop a plan for accomplishing program objectives; 2. Establish foundational resources to implement the plan and ensure program continuity; 3. Provide education, outreach, and technical assistance focused on compliance with the FDA Produce Safety

Rule; 4. Establish a complete and accurate inventory of Maryland produce farms by fully verifying all FDA and MDA required data elements; 5. Develop and implement an inspection program focused on quality and national consistency that is fully integrated with other food safety agencies; 6. Develop and implement a risk based compliance and enforcement program with a framework for progressive

enforcement actions resulting in the greatest protection of public health; 7. Build on the current Rapid Response Team structure and authorities to establish capabilities for a coordinated response to all produce related events that are likely to result to result in illness, injury, or outbreak. Expected Outcomes: The plans, partnerships, collaboration, and activities of this project will result in

a Maryland Produce Safety Program that enhances produce safety and protects public health as part of an Integrated Food Safety System. Education and Technical Assistance will provide Maryland produce farms with the tools to achieve compliance with the FDA Produce Safety Rule. Inspection, compliance, and enforcement activities will further achieve high compliance rates with the FDA

Produce Safety Rule. A fully coordinated response to produce related events will reduce the impact of produce contamination on public health.