Path C Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Produce Safety Program Implementation and Maintenance

Project Summary/Abstract Project Title: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Produce Safety Program Implementation and Maintenance Path C Project Description: Michigan intends to further develop a regulatory program focused on quality and national consistency, with a significant focus on providing education, outreach and technical assistance to drive compliance with the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and collaboration with local, state and federal partners to ensure support of an Integrated Food Safety System. Michigan will follow Path C. On March 26, 2018, 21 CFR Part 112 was adopted into state law by direct adoption into the Michigan Food Law (MFL) in its entirety, providing Michigan authority to conduct PSR inspection and enforcement activity under state authority. No additional action is required to maintain authority. A copy of the MFL can be found at: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(cwswd0lslw1vltk3aprirein))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-92- of-2000.pdf Michigan will not be conducting sprout inspections under Subpart M of the Produce Safety Rule under PAR-21-174. Project Goals: Under this Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP), MDARD will further develop a regulatory program that is focused on quality and national consistency with a focus on prioritizing farm operations covered by the Produce Safety Rule. MDARD will develop all aspects of the produce safety program upon the belief that education, outreach and technical assistance are critical to ensuring adoption of Produce Safety Rule compliant growing, harvesting, packing, and holding practices and driving high rates of compliance, with the primary goal of protecting the public health. Expected Outcomes and Objectives: MDARD will maintain the necessary infrastructure to support a produce safety program in Michigan, provide education, outreach and technical assistance to growers through collaboration with education partners, develop a farm inventory of all produce farms with produce sales in Michigan, conduct inspections under state authority to assess grower compliance with the PSR, maintain a compliance and enforcement program to support PSR Inspections, and ensure effective response to produce related events. Budget: Requested funding includes $1,160,000 for year one and $1,385,000 for years two through five for a total of $6,700,000 for the July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026 project period.